


No Ordinary Thing

by LastMinuteHero



Category: EXO (Band), SHINee
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 05:49:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 93,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3238619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LastMinuteHero/pseuds/LastMinuteHero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kai, one of the prophetic Twelve Born who will save Exo Planet, has been groomed from a young age to fulfill his destiny. When the Twelfth Prince manifests, order becomes chaos and the planet collapses before it can be salvaged, leaving the Twelve Born with no choice but to escape to earth. Grief stricken and with no purpose, the Princes struggle to adapt to human life and the danger their arrival heralds. They encounter the Sicarii, a group of vicious warriors tasked in eradicating them and keeping the balance. Kai, the most proficient of his kin goes head to head with Taemin, the youngest and most gifted of the Sicarii. Through their encounters, they both begin to question their destinies and find that nothing is as it seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: The Twelve Born

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fictional piece of work. It does not mean to cause offense or defamation. Let's be grown ups here and enjoy it for what it is. This is also a multi-chapter deal, so bear in mind that commitment is needed. Feedback of all kinds is appreciated and greatly encouraged!

 

Kai is only thirteen years old when he teleports for the first time.

 

Being an only child, he would play down at the brook situated at the edge of his small frail village every day, meeting with other children who were there collecting water for their households. Wild cats were a problem, often ravaging what little crops and food stores they had and the townspeople had taken to hunting them and using their meat for stews. To catch one was to feed your family for a week. And Kai had never known what it was like to _not_ go hungry.

 

He'd caught sight of a tail further through the bush and began to prey upon it, trying to gauge how big it was. When he found it, he realized it was a scraggly little thing, clearly trying to survive on the town's leftovers while the town could afford none, and Kai couldn't bring himself to tackle it down. All the same, he got too close and the cat swiped at his ankle. Both his fright and the sharp pain brought everything into keen focus, and he felt a howling wind suddenly in his ears. The next thing he knew, he was crashing bottom first at his mother's feet. Inside their home. On the other side of the village.

 

The shock and dawning realization on his mother's face is something he'll never forget.

 

 

 

The manifestation of his power creates a stir within his village, and soon the news spreads to all twelve nations. The world's population is suddenly alight with hope. Everyone is happier, kinder, filling their town halls in prayer every night, believing they are saved. People from far and wide come to deliver gifts to his parents, praising them for birthing him.

 

He is handed over to the Crown a week before his fourteenth birthday. His parents are incredibly proud and ecstatic as they see him off.

 

 _The Grand Herald_ they call him, the bringer of the New Dawn. He'd been raised with the legends, knew what it meant. His existence makes the great Prophecy more than just a bedtime story; he is the first of the Twelve Born, the Empowered Ones who will save and restore their broken planet to it's former glory. They will be worshiped by their nations as the Twelve Saviors for the rest of eternity. He will be the next legendary bedtime story for future generations. His existence means the world will never again know hunger, sickness, war and pain. He is supposed to be proud of his purpose.

 

All he understands is that he'll never see his parents again.

 

 

 

He is brought to the Crown Court and made to bow before the World King. The marble of the pristine palace floor is cold through the torn knees of his pants and he sees his dirty reflection in the room's gold trimmings. He feels scared, and awed, and unworthy, though he doesn't understand how such luxury can still exist when all he's ever known is poverty. His messy hair, threadbare clothes and filthy skin don't belong in such a place.

 

The World King is overwhelming in his glory. His clothes are a blinding white Kai has never seen, luxurious furs lining his shoulders and jewels at his knuckles, each angle of him telling the young boy that his status is unmatched. His fingers are cold as he shakes Kai's hand and his eyes speak of greed and possession. There's an uncomfortable moment when the World King asks his age – it's apparent he's far younger than anyone expected he would be. Regardless, he's sent away with the servants who will to tend to him. They're ordered to make him happy, to give him whatever he wants.

 

He is bathed by an older women who scrubs away the dirt and dust in his hair and skin. She speaks to him in warm, soft tones, asking him questions about what he likes, wants, wishes for, things he doesn't know how to answer. She smiles as she dries him off with big fluffy towels, telling him how beautiful he is now that she can see his face. Her care and humility makes him yearn for his mother and his tears fall freely as he's dressed in brand new clothes.

 

He lays awake that night with a stomach full of food too rich, skin that is too clean and hair that smells sweet in a bed too large and too soft for him to relax in.

 

The World King's words ring in his ears: _You're going to save us, Son. You're going to shape the future._

 

 

 

 

The next morning is a rush of excitement. He gets dragged out of bed, washed, dressed in his day clothes and fed at a table laden with enough food to feed his entire village for a month before being led away to the training wing to begin his first lessons.

 

As the first, he is the unfortunate testing subject to an intense regimen. Initial lessons are heavy on the Exo Prophecy, meaning most of his day is spent with Mikail, the World King's trusted Historian. He learns about his purpose, his power and his impact on the world, what it means to succeed and what it means to fail. He rather enjoys the subject, though he can't help being on edge around his tutor. Mikail is trusted by the World King for a reason, and Kai can see the same greed, the same will to possess in both men.

 

Kai and the rest of the Twelve Born are expected to learn the scriptures of the Codex from front to back, and he trembles at both the burden and privilege as he is given permission to touch the Codex – the first to lay hands to it's fragile pages since the Crown sealed it away 750 years ago.

 

The rest of his day is a culmination of theoretical physics, biology, strength and zen training. Tutor Fao-In, a terribly boring but passionate man teaches him about the physics of his ability, how it stems from the brain and how it alters the atmosphere. Linka, his biology tutor lectures on the elements and biology of the planet. He is less required to attend her lessons as his power is physics based, but she is a wonderfully open, solid, trusting presence that he desperately needs in a palace full of uncertainties.

 

Pei is a very positive, friendly, odd sort of man who enjoys laughing at Kai's frustrations. He teaches him about patience, stillness and instinct through meditation and every day without fail Kai is asleep on the floor by lesson's end. He doesn't mind – it's easier sleeping on the mats in Pei's studio than in his own massive bed, and Pei lets him sleep for half an hour before shaking him awake and sending him off to Jin for the day's final lesson.

 

Jin, his physical trainer is a tough man, his face aged by war and death and something Kai can't begin to fathom. Kai's power of teleportation means Jin works him harder than he would the others, increasing Kai's stamina, reflexes and speed. Kai's young age means nothing to him, and he pushes him beyond what the child laws of the old ages would probably allow. Kai understands that the world had expected a superhero, not the child messiah they'd been given and it is the disappointed, pitying looks in the eyes of the staff and tutors that make Kai stubbornly push back.

 

He trains hard, repeats Jin's drills until his hair is dripping with sweat, and when he feels the urge to collapse where he stands, he takes a deep breath, straightens his shoulders and goes another round. Jin, who originally yelled and threw things and cursed the day he was born gradually becomes a silent spectator, trusting Kai to know what to do and when to stop. And whenever Kai trains into the late hours, sacrificing a warm dinner and his sleep in order to be a little faster, a little stronger, he can feel Jin watching from the doorway, his pride and respect hidden in the shadows.

 

Mikail teaches him about different parts of the planet's geography. Kai's ability to teleport depends on his ability to visualize where he's going, so once a week he's granted permission to teleport outside the palace walls to practice how far he can go. He's handed a camera to photograph his whereabouts and a time limit of 30 seconds to go there, take a picture and come back. He's not allowed to contact or communicate with anyone, which shuts down his immediate urge to go straight to his parents.

 

Eventually he's tested on how many places he can visit within his 30 second window. Mikail gives him pictures of famous canyons, mountains and landscapes as reference and Kai teleports out, flicking from one place to another as fast as he can. He learns what his ability sounds like – a bang of rushing air so fast and quick that he hears it crack and boom in great echoes over the vast landscapes he visits, his power like a gun shot in the dark. He wonders if he's faster than a bullet.

 

He manages to teleport to 6 different areas on his first try. Mikail is impressed, given Kai's young age, but it's not without cost.

 

Kai spends the rest of the night curled in the corner of his bathroom with an aching head and bleeding nose, feeling stretched thin and dizzy to the point where he can't even see the wall tiles. He tells himself he'll get stronger, it'll get easier, it'll be effortless soon enough. He turns the faucets on to mask the sounds of his crying when he's too overwhelmed to hold back.

 

The World King holds a public address to formally introduce Kai to the nations. Hundreds of thousands of people from across the planet gather inside the King's lands and Kai is brought forward for all to see. Wearing his official royal robes of white and silver, his profile is plastered across multiple giant screens for the population to catch a glimpse. The awe and applause is deafening and his heart skips nervously where he stands, feeling too exposed and vulnerable. The World King's hand is cold and heavy on his shoulder and he gets whisked back into hiding before he can even give thought to searching for familiar faces.

 

 

 

Seven months go by with no news of the next Prince and Kai feels the heat from all angles, as if he'd personally done something to stop the cycle. So he trains harder, grows taller, stronger and faster, trying to quell the fears and dwindling hopes of the Court.

 

On his fifteenth birthday, the World King gifts him a ring made of white gold; a turning wheel symbol framed inside a triangle, one of the twelve power glyphs in the Codex. _His_.

 

It's four months later when the next of the Twelve Born finally manifests.

 

 

 

Gifted with telekinesis, Luhan is an instant household name after saving a little girl from the wreckage of a collapsed house. His face gets printed in papers and on posters and the world is once again in a state of excitement, though Kai knows the World King and his Court are troubled by the time between manifestations. The planet is crumbling a little more with every passing day and the governments of the twelve nations are already beginning to fight, blaming each other for not doing enough, for not knowing how to speed up the process, for not bearing Princes, fearing that time will run out.

 

When the newest Prince is brought into the Crown Court, Kai is made to stand at the King's side in his official robes. He's told to stand straight, to stay quiet, to listen and behave while the King parades him around like a prized possession. Luhan is Kai's senior by four years and if the look in his eyes didn't speak of great hardship, his tattered hooded sweatshirt, jacket, jeans and sneakers would do it for him. Though it is more clothing than Kai has ever had.

 

Luhan is handed off and shown to his quarters, though he looks Kai directly in the eye before he's taken away. The world's people are ecstatic about the prophecy, but Kai can't help but think that not all is as it seems. Being in the palace and living in luxury while the rest of the population suffers feels deeply wrong to him, and by the looks of it, Luhan has already felt that way for some time.

 

Luhan looks far younger once he's cleaned up and he tries to get to know Kai over dinner that night, but Kai takes off for Jin's training room before he gets the chance. He has mastered his power in his harrowing past year, which gives him an edge over any new arrivals. The competitor in him wants to keep his advantage. Apparently he needn't bother.

 

The newest Prince flounders under the pressure of his training. Kai knows he is smart beyond his years, can see his knowledge working behind his eyes during their lessons but for reasons unbeknownst to him, Luhan continuously fails. Jin grows frustrated with him and for every ten objects he throws at Luhan, only one moves under his will.

 

“One of these days you're going to have your head cracked open,” Kai tells him in the corridor after one particularly harsh session. The bleeding cut above Luhan's right brow where Jin had caught him with a baton is the evidence, “I _know_ you're capable. So why?”

 

Luhan shakes his head, his half smirk bitter, “Because giving the World King more power is the last thing we should be doing.”

 

“But it's the Prophecy. We're supposed to save the planet–––”

 

“We're prisoners, Kai,” Luhan replies with such conviction that Kai's heart drops through his stomach, “We're here to serve, not save.”

 

As he watches Luhan limp back to his quarters, he feels disturbed, shaken and very, very wrong.

 

 

 

Three months after Luhan's arrival, a sixteen year old from the northern territories makes the news, preventing the kidnapping of a young boy, saving an entire building of people from a gas fire and predicting the brake failure of a local freight train. No one knew how he'd done it until he’d come forward, telling the world rather proudly that he could manipulate time.

 

Tao is a darling of the media, a poster child of the lavish and unsuffering end of the population, decked out in old, well-worn designer brands that Kai never knew existed. He is tall, proud and practically wanders in with his hands out, ready to receive all that he's entitled to. He shakes the World King's hand with vigor and is quick to ask where he'll be staying. The World King laughs brightly at the boy's enthusiasm and praises him, and Kai has learned enough from Luhan by now to know that being on the King's bad side is bad news, but to be on the King's good side is worse.

 

It becomes apparent soon enough that Tao is lazy and just along for the ride, more interested in his new status and riches than saving the planet. Kai concentrates on his education and training instead of accommodating him but Luhan befriends Tao in an effort to educate him on the truth of their situation. Tao is surprisingly outraged at the possibility of being the King's lapdog and pledges his determination in restoring the planet as the prophecy states. He may be an idiot, but Kai believes his heart is in the right place. He warms up to him on that principal alone.

 

 

Two months later, a seventeen year old from one of the western nations manifests the power of lightning during the funeral of an elder.

 

Chen is polite, friendly and gets introduced to the World King without issue. Luhan, still the oldest of his kin so far and ever the welcoming party takes it upon himself to show him the ropes. Chen grew up the son of a priestess in one of the main temples hidden within the western territories, so his cheerful, humble, honest demeanor loosens everybody up.

 

Kai is pleased to see the four of them are working hard during their lessons – Tao's lack of drive has diminished, and despite his rebellion in front of the tutors, Luhan knuckles down late at night when the kingdom is asleep. Chen is only beginning to understand his power, but every step he takes is natural and balanced.

 

Another two months pass when there is word of freak tornadoes in the east – Kai's homeland.

 

 

 

Kai is instantly intrigued when the Fifth Prince, Sehun, is escorted into the Crown Court, hands restrained and flanked on all sides by armed guards. He's wearing a dirty t-shirt, jeans and he scuffs his beaten up hi-tops on the marble as the guards walk him in, and Kai deduces he must be from a north-east nation because he doesn't appear to have lived in poverty.

 

The World King ponders this situation, neither angry nor worried, “What happened?”

 

The guard to Sehun's right clears his throat, “He was mouthing off, Your Highness. It was either cuff him or punch him.”

 

The World King and his Court servants seem mightily confused. Luhan snickers from beside Kai as they watch the kid take in his new atmosphere with great indifference, observing the guards around him with a smirk they clearly aren't enjoying.

 

“And what, pray tell, was our new Prince mouthing off about?” The King asks.

 

“He refused to use honorifics, Your Highness,” The guard replied.

 

Sehun sighs tiredly, uninterested and unfazed, “ _Crybaby_.”

 

Kai can see Luhan, Tao and Chen pinching their lips together, stifling any sort of reaction to Sehun's humor. Kai can't blame them – the new Prince will be a refreshing, much needed change in their daily routine and Kai can't help but envy his blatant anti-authoritive attitude. Luhan is practically glowing in approval.

 

“Release him immediately,” The World King orders, and the guard begins to remove the cuffs, embarrassed and displeased at being made an example of, “This boy you so freely restrain will save your lives and the lives of your loved ones in the not-so-distant future. You owe him gratitude, not imprisonment.”

 

Sehun shrugs and makes a show of rubbing at his wrists. He snicks his tongue at the retreating guard in distaste and the guard turns to glare at him, fist clenched, bowing his head to the King when he is dismissed. Sehun actually _laughs_ at the guards as they sneer at him on their way out. The heavy doors close with a resounding clang, and Kai stares at the fifth Prince like he can't believe such a person exists.

 

The World King beckons him forward, “I trust my men didn't make you too uncomfortable.”

 

Sehun shakes the King's outstretched hand and bows his head, “Nothing I couldn't handle, Your Highness.”

 

“I imagine so. That said, while you may refuse to take orders from them, you will take orders from me,” The King stares directly into Sehun's eyes, the threat subtle enough to sound both friendly and deadly, “Is that clear?”

 

Sehun bows again, slower this time and when he lifts his head he smiles politely. His gaze,

however, reads pure defiance, “Yes, Your Highness.”

 

The World King hooks an arm around Sehun's shoulders and escorts him through to the banquet hall, and it is only when they are out of sight that Kai's heartbeat returns to normal.

 

 

 

Sehun is the second elemental of the Twelve, possessing the power of air and wind. He and Chen bond while attending lessons with Linka, learning the foundations of their abilities. Tao is offended by almost everything he says and Sehun laughs at him like he's a prude, while Luhan gets along with Sehun easily enough. Turns out he isn't as into the political conspiracy thing as Luhan had hoped, he just doesn't like people throwing their weight around like they're higher up on the chain.

 

Kai and Sehun are close enough in age that it creates a natural friendship. Kai's no longer the youngest – Sehun is his junior by only three months but he is cunning and mischievous like a six year old and it teaches Kai how to laugh again. Somewhere between his starving, struggling people, the unnecessary deaths and the sad, drained faces of his parents, he'd forgotten how.

 

 

 

The Sixth Prince, Lay – _God's kin_ as his people call him – is brought into the Crown Court five months later, half dead on a stretcher. It causes quite the panic.

 

People had come to him in droves as soon as news of his healing abilities had spread, lining up for days to have their ailments cured. Lay had apparently worked his way through as many as he could before he'd passed out from the sheer exhaustion. The King's guard had found him with barely enough energy to breathe.

 

Lay wakes up after four days of bed rest, weak and pale, but his eyes are clear and his smile is true when Kai and the others all gather to meet him. Chen likes him instantly, in awe of the selfless good deeds proceeding him. Luhan and Lay are from neighboring north nations and share the same mother tongue, Sehun makes fun of Lay's girly power but befriends him regardless and Tao doesn't seem so personally interested in him, but he sticks around and listens anyway. They can all feel the difference – Lay's arrival has suddenly made them more than just random genetic miracles. They are now six, half of the Twelve born bound with heavenly purpose and responsibility. Kai's beginning to feel less like a puppet and more like he's part of something greater.

 

Lay is made to pass a bunch of medical tests before he's given permission to get out of bed. The days that follow are spent getting him accustomed to their routine, and Lay takes a special interest in how all of their abilities work – asking them how they use them, where their triggers are, where they pull them from and so forth.

 

“Why do you want to know?” Tao asks Lay, flipping through a book on atomic structure to appease Fao-In's watchful eyes. Kai watches him lounge back, a leg hooked over one of the chair arms like it hasn't seated hundreds of years of royal bloodline before him, “It's not like you can do any of it.”

 

“One of these days, I'll probably have to heal you,” Lay says, standing in the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the window, unfazed at the tone of his question, “It'll be my responsibility to make sure you get put back together the way you came. The more I know, the better.”

 

Having always been a boy of impeccable character, Lay's people believe his gifts are heaven sent, that he earned them with his good heart and good deeds. Kai can see why – Lay is graceful in both presence and voice, humble in a way that isn't typical for a nineteen year old boy and gentle in ways Kai was never exposed to in his home village. He feels safe in Lay's presence and it only makes him train that much harder – because if Lay's going to do his part in keeping them all safe on their journey, wherever it leads, Kai is going to do everything in his power to make sure Lay doesn't have to.

 

Lay's public ceremony is different. The ocean of people there to witness him stretches to the horizon line, but in place of the roaring cheers and cries of hope, the massive crowd is silent, all dropping to their knees to bow before him. Lay is visibly shaken at the spectacle, tears like crystals in his eyes and he bows at the waist, stays like that for several minutes even after the crowd have returned to their feet. Kai and the others – even Tao – are awed as they watch.

 

The people's hopes have never been more real. The pressure is immense.

 

 

 

 

Two months pass and news of the Seventh Son comes to light. A twenty year old boy encases a six foot bear in ice when it rampages his camp, saving numerous people. His name is Xiumin.

 

The Codex calls him the _Genesis Child_ , the _Crystalline Son_ , the _First Born_. Tao sneers at the names, probably jealous at the profound importance surrounding Xiumin's chapter in the book. Xiumin is so incredibly unaffected by his manifestation that he comes off a little embarrassed when it's his turn to read the book. Kai's role in the Prophecy is important simply because his power was the first to manifest; Xiumin's role is important because he was the first of the Twelve to be born into the world.

 

He's a grounded, trustworthy presence, Kai discovers. Being the oldest of them, Xiumin's worked within the military border in the southern territories, seeing things with his own eyes that the others have only ever heard whispers of. He's quiet, calm and keenly observant, able to read a room and the attitudes inside it with a glance. He learns everyone's names, talks enough to be friendly but doesn't pry or ask personal questions, though he's far more open in Luhan's presence. Kai sees the pull between them from the moment they set eyes on each other and he's glad. There are real bonds, a fellowship forming between them all – he believes it's going to help them face whatever comes their way.

 

 

 

Months pass, seasons change and the World King and the twelve governments grow frustrated as the year ends with no new Princes coming forward. Messengers travel out through the nations, posting fliers to notify the people that there will be rewards given to those who give testimony of the remaining Twelve Born. They have five more to find and time is running out.

 

Kai turns seventeen and grows another 2 inches taller by the time the next Prince arrives.

 

 

 

A quiet, expressionless eighteen year old wearing a hooded leather jacket gets brought in and it's the first time the World King has ever been anything less than accommodating, clearly tired of waiting. The boy doesn't speak, though his eye contact is bold and intimidating. He bows when the King tells him to and goes willingly enough with the servants who show him to his quarters. He looks over his shoulder at Kai and the others as he's herded away, gaze dark and unreadable.

 

Tao visibly shudders, “Aish...He better not be next door to me.”

 

Kai and the others learn about the new Prince through Chen, the only one of them who is brave enough to approach him.

 

They learn that D.O., like Xiumin, is from one of the southern nations – those riddled with war. His father has an undisclosed position high in the military, and D.O. was set to follow in his footsteps until his power manifested. His father wanted to keep it secret, wanted to use his son's ability to the army's advantage. Wanting to do the right thing, D.O. had snuck out in the middle of the night and walked eight hours to the border, turning himself over to the authorities where he waited three days for the King's guard to arrive.

 

His story evokes sympathy from all of them - Kai especially, who feels guilty for making his own negative assumptions. They know the heavy price D.O. will pay if word gets out of his father's initial plan; after all, to inhibit the Exo Prophecy is treason of the highest order – it would mean seeing his father executed by firing squad in capital square. Chen swears them all to secrecy and they're all too willing to comply.

 

The next time they all see D.O., they say hello. They only get a nod of acknowledgment in return, but it's a start.

 

 

 

Baekhyun, the Ninth Prince, arrives two months later in April and he is the bubbliest, most playful personality of the group yet. It seems only fitting that he manifests the power of light.

 

Apparently, he'd been sneaking back to his camp after blowing the military enforced curfew with a few too many bottles of soju and one too many illegal card games when he'd accidentally set off every light and lamp in the vicinity. He'd been promptly tackled and arrested by the night watch and Baekhyun had turned himself over to the Crown to avoid punishment. As far as origin stories go, it's by far the most amusing.

 

He gels with every member of the group. He delights Chen, uplifts Lay, banters happily with Sehun, Luhan and Xiumin and makes fun of Tao to the point where it should earn him a punch in the face but for whatever reason only makes Tao adore him more. Baekhyun has even managed to get D.O. to crack a smile once or twice. Kai's impressed and eternally grateful for his positive presence.

 

 

 

December comes and goes, eight months of nothing.

 

The World King wants them all evaluated by their tutors to see how they're advancing. Kai's been training for three years, has surpassed his limits – beyond the headaches, the nose bleeds and the vertigo. Teleporting is painless for him now, practically second nature. It's the others he's worried about.

 

Chen can pull lightning from the earth and the sky, anything with a charge running through it and he's learned with Linka where to sense it. He can harness it, use it, but it weakens him way too fast so he's thrown to Jin in order to improve his stamina. It helps, though under the pressure of the World King and the tutors, Chen begins to push himself out of frustration. Kai's walked in on him trying to hide a bleeding nose more than once.

 

Tao knows his history, knows the physics behind his power and can use it accordingly, though he can only manipulate the time in one room at any one moment. The World King wants him to expand his reach to the whole palace by the end of January, and Tao already believes his given deadline is impossible to meet.

 

Sehun is capable of unleashing heavy winds at the snap of a finger, but barely has enough control to stop it. He's been working with Pei to focus his mind and he practices on the acres of land behind the kingdom, but the King is getting frustrated at seeing his lands destroyed for nothing. Sehun sweats through his training gear and nearly gives himself an aneurysm the day he manages to swing a leaf from side to side by controlling the breeze in the King's moonlight garden. He faints momentarily and Lay checks him over, but he smirks tiredly at everyone's concern, blood trickling around the side of his nose.

 

Xiumin's maturity and determination in his lessons makes him the quickest study; it sets the bar for the others. He builds ice sculptures in the garden at night and takes to making arrows and targets for Luhan to practice with. Luhan wields his power without issue, but never pushes it and does his best to appear inadequate in front of watchful eyes. He's still rebelling, still believes that for the King to know his full power is to be made a weapon. Kai doesn't agree with it, but he trusts that Luhan knows what he's doing.

 

Baekhyun gets made the World King's personal reading lamp when he breaks an heirloom in the library after a prank goes wrong. Every night following supper, he goes to the World King's personal quarters and illuminates the pages of the giant volumes he reads before bed. It lasts a week before he's ordered to do it from the other side of the room. The next week it's from the hall, and two weeks later he's doing it from anywhere inside the palace walls. The concentration required is intense and the others find him sitting dead still in corners of rooms, brow-line marred with focus, beads of sweat at his temples as he works. Eventually he improves to the point where he can hold a conversation; it doesn't matter if half of what he says doesn't make any sense. His progress is enough to let him off the hook.

 

Lay practices on wilting plants when he finds them, though it's rare to find a dying plant under the care of the palace gardeners. He's ultimately forced to practice on his kin, fixing a torn ligament in Kai's ankle, healing numerous bruises from Baekhyun's and Tao's play fights, and he's been healing Chen for weeks now, repairing burst blood vessels when he pushes himself too far. Lay uses the luxury of time to his advantage, learns more about how each tendon, artery, vein and bone feels in his mind's eye as he threads them back together.

 

But using his ability doesn't come without its own side effects, they discover. Lay gets particularly emotional after healing a bruise on D.O.'s cheekbone when he gets accidentally hit with a wayward ball during a rare game of soccer one afternoon, and he retreats with tears in his eyes when he's done, leaving the group momentarily confused. D.O. later confides that he'd been briefly reminded of a time his father had struck him in the same place and Lay had sensed it, his power making him somewhat of an empath.

 

D.O. struggles to find his trigger. The first time his power manifested, he'd been at the army base visiting his father when an old abandoned mine blew 50 meters away. Out of the need to protect his father, D.O. had stomped his foot and thrown up a wall of earth and rock to shield them – purely adrenaline based. But finding an adrenaline rush is hard to do in the King's comfy palace.

 

Kai has grown closer to him in recent months and wants to help him, so he sets out to recreate the moment his power originally manifested. Out on the back fields, Kai plays the willing target to everything Luhan and Xiumin can throw at him while D.O. attempts to shield him. When D.O. realizes his power isn't the ability to connect to the earth but the power of strength to move it, he finally succeeds by pounding the ground so hard that Kai gets encased in a ten foot tall fortress of earth and rock on all sides. Kai is a mess of blood and swelling limbs by the time he teleports out, and Lay is there to patch him up.

 

Once he's healed, everyone visibly relaxes. Luhan tells him off for pulling such a needless stunt but Xiumin stands back, having seen the strategy behind Kai's intentions. Lay's dizzy with the concern pouring off everyone and Kai grips his arm, trying to push it away with his reassurance. D.O.'s looking at him with wide, wet eyes, and his voice is thick when he voices his worry.

 

“I'm fine,” Kai tells him, shrugging it off with a smile, “You did it. I knew you would.”

 

D.O. hugs him without thinking and Kai gives him a squeeze after a moments hesitation, having lived almost his entire life without comfort. The other boy jumps away again, self-conscious of his actions but Kai messes with D.O.'s hair and smiles, trying to convey that his affections are more than welcome.

 

 

 

By the time Suho, the tenth Prince arrives the following November, everybody is holding their breath around the World King. Fear and tension is at an all-time high within the governments and strict orders of obedience have been sent through all twelve nations, believing good personal behavior from the population will persuade the heavens to send the rest of the Twelve Born to them. Punishment for misconduct is execution without trial.

 

As the Twelve Born, they are made to stand and watch with the rest of the King's council. Kai's seen people drop dead from malnutrition and sickness before, but he's not prepared for the day when a weeping man is dragged into the square begging for his life to be spared. He's forced to his knees and then pushed until his forehead scrapes the ground; his cries promptly cut off with a bullet to the back of the skull. Kai's head snaps away as the gunshot echoes throughout the capital grounds, tears in his eyes and heart pounding painfully in his throat. He wonders how they're supposed to earn heaven's good grace with such an act of brutality.

 

Luhan throws and shatters one of the King's 14th century pots across the pristine white marble dining hall when they find out the man was executed for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family.

 

 

 

 

Suho arrives to a lot of tension, but he tries to fit in as seamlessly as he can. They accept him into their ranks and begin to educate him on their suspicions of the World King's true intentions. Their predetermined destinies aren't just causing chaos, they're now being used as political tools to justify the execution of innocent people.

 

Suho manifests the power of water when the well in the middle of his town suddenly runs dry. Coming from a heavily spiritual western nation, he's instantly hailed as a savior, which makes his townspeople reluctant to hand him over. He creates enough water to keep them going for the next several months, though once he's settled in the King's palace, he gets word that neighboring towns have violently infiltrated his village to take the water for themselves. Temples are ripped down in protest, several people are killed in the take over and the peace of the western territories is forever destroyed. He and Chen, both western natives, are beside themselves with grief.

 

At his public announcement, Suho steps forward and begs the world's people to be kind to each other. He promises that he and his kin will replenish the world's sources in due time and asks for patience. Men and women start screaming, saying that help is needed _now_ and the ensuing commotion starts a riot before their very eyes.

 

The barricades surrounding the hundreds of thousands in the crowd begin to topple under the pressure, and soon everyone is flooding toward the palace. One security guard is tackled down and beaten to death, while the others start shooting their guns at the crowd.

 

Suho yells at the guards to stop while Luhan tries to wrestle one of their weapons down. Another guard tries to side step Sehun and Tao knocks him unconscious with a surprisingly swift punch to the neck when he aims his gun between Sehun's eyes. The World King is yelling to the crowd, demanding they stop but it falls on deaf ears. Kai sees a little girl get trampled by a circle of fighting men and D.O. grabs his arm as he lynches forward, knowing what he's about to do.

 

“Don't.”

 

“I _have_ to.”

 

D.O. tugs harder on his arm, “It's too late.”

 

Kai shrugs him free and teleports down to the little girl with the World King's anger still ringing in his ears. Once the hazy smoke of his power clears, he sees her. But she's too still; her limbs at odd angles, her dress trodden into the ground, her face a mess of blood and dirt. The shock renders him immobile and he stares with his heart in his throat and tears in his eyes. The girl is lost as the crowd shifts and Kai teleports back to his kin when the crowd begins to trap him in.

 

Once they're escorted back inside the Court, the World King steps forward and slaps Kai hard across the face. He reels with the impact and stumbles back; Xiumin catches him and holds him steady.

 

“You are never to disobey a direct order again!”

 

“There was a little girl---”

 

“ _You are more important!_ ” the World King's yelling reverberates off the court walls, “It is your destiny to save this planet and its people! You can't be replaced!”

 

Kai juts his jaw, too pissed to hold his tongue, “But if you keep killing people, _there won't be anyone left to save_.”

 

It earns him another slap to the face, much harder than the last and it sends him to the ground. He pulls himself to his feet and Xiumin wraps his arms tight around his waist when he lunges forward to attack the King. Amidst the scuffling and yelling, the palace guards aim their guns at him but their clips disengage simultaneously, raining bullets onto the marble floor. They all look to Luhan, who lowers his outstretched hand.

 

The King looks them all down for several tense seconds, then scoffs and storms off to his quarters. Kai's anger makes the sting of his left cheek throb and he watches the King retreat through blurry eyes. He's never been more furious in his entire life and when he looks up to Luhan, the same anger, the same disgust and injustice is returned in his gaze.

 

“We _have_ to do something,” Luhan presses.

 

“Then how about you start pulling your weight around here,” Sehun bites back, “You could have stopped those guards from shooting everything in sight---”

 

“It's not his fault the King ordered them to start putting bullets in people,” Tao defends him.

 

Xiumin warns, “ _Guys..._ not here.”

 

Everyone bites back their words, knowing the court is too open for such a treasonous conversation. They shift and wander from each other, deep in thought for several moments before Kai speaks.

 

“Whatever you're thinking, whatever you're feeling...bottle it away,” he speaks, his voice low and steady, “We have to do better from now on. That means you, Luhan----”

 

Luhan shakes his head, “I can't do that.”

 

“Well you're gonna _have to_ ,” Kai hits back with a little more force, “We have to be together in this, we have to be _one_. The King may use us as a means to his own end, but the Codex and the Exo prophecy are real. The mission hasn't changed.”

 

“So we wait,” Sehun sighs in defeat.

 

“We wait,” Xiumin confirms, backing Kai up.

 

And though it goes against everyone's wishes, indeed they wait.

 

 

 

 

 

It's in June the following year that Kris arrives in the King's court.

 

The eleventh Prince is tall, cold and his gaze is hard from the get-go. He doesn't say a word, doesn't flinch when the guards and King try to intimidate him, and he doesn't shake the King's hand either. The others stand by and watch, shoulders tense as they wait for the retaliation of that particular discourse, but Kris is a full head taller than the King and the look in his eyes is a hell of a lot scarier, so all he gets for his lack of respect is a sneer and the view of the King's back as he walks away.

 

Kris keeps to himself despite the numerous attempts to engage him. They read up on him in the codex and learn he has the power of flight, something that quickly makes him the envy of a few others. His chapter in the prophecy is riddled with vague references of sky-born creatures; mostly dragons, and that his power could be a possible result of dragon blood somewhere within his lineage. It explains his cold, insular, ethereal demeanor.

 

Kris doesn't train; he flies around the King's lands whenever he feels like it, apparently a natural with his ability. He sleeps in, doesn't show up to lessons and somehow never gets into trouble. The palace servants give him a wide berth in the hallways and stay out of his room. He's the only one of the Twelve Born so far who refuses to mix with the others – it alarms them, that maybe the King isn't the only enemy they have.

 

Tao surprises everyone when he confronts him one afternoon in the library.

 

“Hey, lone wolf,” Tao spits, “You're not the only one here having a rough time. How about you make it easier on everybody and _unclench_ , for god's sake. We're nice people, we're fun people, we're a joy to be around. If you want to be difficult that's cool, that's your prerogative. But you have ten other people here who are on your side, whether you like it or not. So quit being a dickbag and join the pack already.”

 

Kris' gaze is hard and his body looks coiled tight, ready to attack when he unfolds himself from his chair and stands up to his full height. Kris stares Tao down long enough to make him uncomfortable and opens his mouth to speak for the first time since he arrived.

 

“Move,” he says, voice smooth and terrifying in its steadiness.

 

Kai sees anger and a deep-seated hatred in the elder boy's eyes; so harsh in its intensity that he can't help but think befriending Kris is a lost cause. Tao flinches when he sees it too and he steps aside. Kris moves towards the balcony doors without a second glance and they swing open with great force, like the expansion of a massive pair of invisible wings has blown them apart. The moment Kris steps outside, he disappears from the doorway, flying up out of view.

 

“Wow,” Baekhyun breathes, hand on his heart, “So intense.”

 

“What an asshole,” Sehun smirks, “I kinda like him.”

 

“He's gonna kill us in our sleep,” Tao cries, his bravado apparently all gone as he points out the window.

 

Kai turns to Xiumin, “What do you think?”

 

“He obviously hates the King,” Xiumin says, their eyes meeting, “And he thinks we're the King's power minions.”

 

“Then we tell him we aren't,” D.O. pipes up.

 

“It's not about us,” Xiumin shakes his head, looking to Kai again, “I think the prophecy isn't the only reason he's here. Whatever it is, it won't be good.”

 

Kai has spent many late nights walking the palace grounds, worrying and pondering over their destinies, trying to devise a plan to keep them all safe – because he knows things will turn sour, it's only a matter of time. He also knows that he's not the only one to feel the heat; the King doesn't bother with pleasantries anymore, no longer treats them like they're precious commodities. The prophecy hasn't come to fruition yet and each manifestation is taking longer and longer. Kai began the cycle when he was a scrawny, impoverished thirteen year old kid – he's now a tall, healthy, strong young man of nineteen and only eleven of the Twelve Born have arrived.

 

Xiumin is a frequent visitor on these many late nights, accompanying him and offering council. His years as a military hand give him an edge, though he's always been a natural strategist. Kai trusts Xiumin's keen observation skills and instincts undoubtedly and for whatever reason, Xiumin trusts Kai to lead them despite being one of the youngest.

 

So he absorbs what Xiumin's really telling him – that Kris is carrying a grudge. A very personal one at that, which makes him dangerous and unpredictable.

 

“He's a walking time bomb,” Kai mumbles, glancing to Xiumin for confirmation. He nods.

 

Luhan glances between the two, “What does that mean?”

 

“His self-control is thin,” Xiumin says.

 

Kai ponders over that for a moment, “So…let’s poke him with a stick.”

 

“You _just_ said time bomb,” Luhan presses, sounding a little worried, “And now you want to _detonate_ him?”

 

“Defuse him,” Kai corrects.

 

“It'll work,” Xiumin smiles and rubs the nape of Luhan's neck.

 

Kai looks out through the balcony doors, sees a tiny spec soaring the skies in the distance and the beginnings of a plan start to form.

 

 

 

 

A week later, they're all sitting in the banquet hall having dinner. The King has long since retired to his quarters and the palace chandeliers light up the white marble against the black night sky beyond the windows.

 

Kris sits at the end of the table, away from the rest of them and eats quietly and precisely. Kai feels his kin all glancing to him as they make small talk, waiting for his signal. They're all forcing the relaxed atmosphere of the room, trying not to alert Kris to their plan and it's after everyone is done laughing at Baekhyun's latest story that they all fall silent.

 

Kai is looking at the opposite end of the table at Kris…and Kris is glaring right back at him.

 

Without a word, Kai gets up from his seat. The others do the same and gather at his sides; he feels the hands of his brothers finding purchase on his shoulders, his flanks, his back, leaving his arms free. Once everyone is latched on, Kai gives the order.

 

“Now.”

 

He feels their hands tighten on him just before he teleports them all right behind where Kris sits, so fast that he doesn't have a chance to react. The gun-shot sound of his power hits the walls so hard that Kris jumps in his chair and Kai grabs him in a head lock before teleporting them all out of the palace.

 

They arrive in the small forest of trees on the outskirts of the palace grounds. Kai drops Kris to the ground with a kick to the back of his knees, arms still locked around his neck and head while the others form a circle around them. Kris looks up, eyes almost glowing with his silent rage. After a tense moment, he closes them and goes still, looking uncharacteristically peaceful and it raises the hairs on everybody's necks. Then the wind rustles the ground and with a great gust, Kris and Kai are soaring up into the air.

 

They all watch them go with mouths agape, helpless, though Xiumin is unfazed at the turn of events and soon enough, Kai and Kris appear on the ground before them in a haze of smoke. Kai kicks Kris down once again, arms still firmly locked around his head.

 

Kris is yelling, flustered and frustrated as he thrashes in Kai's grip, “What the---! Get off me! Let me _go!_ ”

 

“Let's try this _again_ ,” Kai growls, looking to Chen, “Show him how scary you can be.”

 

Chen looks a little put out by the suggestion but clenches his fist regardless, and tiny bolts of white lightning begin crawling along the skin of his arms. Like electrical veins, they thread up to his neck and pulse along his cheeks until his eyes are completely washed out with it.

 

Kris is now still against Kai, eyes wide and breathing clipped.

 

“You never cared to learn a thing about us,” Kai tells him, “Which is poor planning on your part because we have so many ways we can kill you.”

 

One of Kris' hands grips Kai's forearm and Kai tightens his bicep, causing Kris to choke.

 

“But we _won't_ kill you,” Kai goes on, “As Tao has mentioned before, we are all on the same side here.”

 

“You call _this_ being on the same side?” Kris grits out, struggling again in Kai's hold.

 

“Well you can fly, so...” Baekhyun helpfully points out.

 

“I wanna know what he did. The king,” Xiumin speaks up and Kris' eyes move to him at the question, “You're like an assassin in waiting. Kinda hard not to notice.”

 

Kris' gaze falls to their feet and Kai loosens his hold as he feels the resistance slowly draining out of him.

 

“Whatever grudge you've got against the King?” Kai continues, speaking quietly into Kris' ear, “We can assure you, we aren't his biggest fans either.”

 

After several moments, Xiumin gives Kai an affirmative glance and he slowly lets Kris go, stepping away to join the others, trusting in Xiumin's ability to read people. To everyone's surprise, Kris stays where he is, kneeling on the grass. Except now he appears shaken; the erratic blinking of his eyes and the slight tremor through the line of his shoulders paints a very different picture of the boy they thought they knew.

 

“He killed my father,” Kris whispers with a great shuddering breath, as if the weight of it has pressed down another inch. The others watch him sniff and blink again, trying to hold back his vulnerability, “A casualty of the obedience laws.”

 

Luhan crouches down until he's eye level with him.

 

“They dragged him into Capital Square, murdered him...and televised it for the higher population to watch...” Kris goes on, lifting his head to look at them all, “...the noble result of him trying to provide for my family.”

 

Kai thinks back to when the obedience laws were passed almost a full year ago and remembers the day Luhan destroyed the main common room, beside himself with anger at the unjust execution of a man who was caught stealing food in order to feed his family. He glances toward the others as the same thing dawns on the rest of them, each of their expressions morphing with realization.

 

“The whole planet is starving to death,” Kris yells, frustrated tears brimming, “while he sits in that damn palace living off the last of our resources! _Tell me how that's fair!_ ”

 

“It's not,” Kai replies quietly and Kris' eyes go to him, “Which is why we're going to make things right.”

 

He can see Luhan itching to speak his piece but he knows what it's fueled with and it won't do them any favors in what they're trying to do here. The aim was to get Kris onside, to close their ranks once again in order to focus on the bigger picture. And he can already hear the guards flooding from the palace in search of them.

 

“Until then,” Kai sighs, “We have to stick together. Yes, the world is in dire need of a leadership overhaul but we can't do anything about that if the planet dies. The planet and its people _have_ to be our priority.”

 

He waits him out, looking for calm and compliance in their newest member even as the guards grow closer.

 

“What do you say?” Kai asks, “Want to save the world with us?”

 

After a long moment, Kris braces himself and gets to his feet. He looks each of them in the eye, searching for something Kai can't explain and then he gives a shallow bow of his head.

 

“It's what he would have wanted,” Kris agrees quietly, clearly thinking of his father.

 

Tao drops a heavy hand onto his shoulder and smiles, “Then let's make him proud.”

 

Kris' cooperation hasn't been forth-coming, but he responds by giving a light, casual pat to Tao's side and it's a far better agreement than they could have hoped for.

 

They turn toward the palace as the guards loom, flashlights frantic through the trees.

 

“Took those goons long enough,” Sehun snorts.

 

Kai spreads his arms wide and they all get behind him in silent obedience, reaching out to hold on. Kris remains beside him, hand hovering over Kai's arm.

 

“Might want to bend your knees,” Kai tells him with a hint of a smirk, “The first time always lands you on your ass.”

 

With Kris' answering smile and sure, solid grip falling onto his shoulder, Kai teleports them back into the dining hall of the palace – where the guards find them finishing their meals through secretive grins twenty minutes later.

 

 

 

 

More months pass.

 

The boys train together, laugh together and hurt together through the numerous tests and trials they face under the King's peaked frustrations. The training gets harder, almost too difficult to sustain but they are all looser, calmer and happier than they've been in months. They slide into their own roles within the group, though for some reason unfathomable to Kai, his brothers in arms have put him ahead of them, often looking to him for answers, orders and guidance. He feels far too young and reckless for the job and he isn't comfortable with it, not when others among them are proving themselves worthy of leadership. He just wants to be a working part of the whole.

 

News and testing of the world's stability leaks out through the court. It's kept secret from the world's people to avoid mass panic but Kai and his kin hear of it, can see it in the way the tutors punish them if something goes wrong. The number of palace staff seems to decline and they're told that some have returned home to their families, that others want a change in employment. Kai knows better. Their fears grow when Pei arrives to teach in Linka's place one day, alluding to a death in her family. Jin, against the staff gag order, later tells Kai the details - that Melia, a palace maid that Baekhyun often enjoyed frustrating the hell out of, was actually Linka's sister. And that she'd hung herself in the east wing supply room the night before.

 

Baekhyun is devastated when Kai tells the group, and it confirms the growing fears they've all had. The end is really coming; the destruction of their planet is more than just a story they were told to keep them in line.

 

Jin begins to train Kai on his own later at night when the group lessons start being moderated. He won't relay Kai the details but the focus shifts from agility to fight training and it's the biggest red flag Kai has seen yet. Jin tells him he's going to need it to protect himself and the others if the situation arises and berates himself for not preparing them for possible attacks any sooner.

 

“Are you saying we're in danger?” Kai asks him.

 

Jin breathes and lowers the sparring pads, “I'm saying anything is possible. I'm preparing you because I trust you to know what's best for the group. I'd train all of you to fight if I didn't have so many eyes on me.”

 

“And you can't tell me why?”

 

“No, not yet,” Jin replies, “But if all goes to plan, you won't need to fight.”

 

 

 

The boys abandon their bedrooms and take to sleeping in the training room together at night, rolling out bedding across the mats. When the planet's two moons are at their highest, Lay gets restless, mumbling wordlessly and trembling under the stress of everyone's individual nightmares permeating the room. Kai is always the last to sleep, choosing to keep watch so he can go to Lay when needed, trying to push onto him what little calm he has left in order to balance out his emotions.

 

It happens too many nights in a row to be random, and Kai looks over his shoulder when he hears Lay's breathing hitch in his sleep, hoping it won't be as bad at the previous night because his own emotions right now are flayed open too much to be of help. Regardless, he moves over to where his brothers sleep curled into each other across the floor and goes to Lay, the closest to the windows. Before he gets there, Sehun shifts from beside Lay and melds himself along his back, a hand threading through Lay's arms to nestle against the pulse in his wrist. Sehun buries his face in the back of Lay's hair and slides back to sleep, calming Lay with him before Kai can take another step. He does anyway, if only to dab at the healer's tears with the cuff of his sleeve.

 

Kai has no idea what will come first – the last Prince, or the end of the world.

 

 

 

It's in February the following year when their ranks are finally complete.

 

The World King calls the governments together to discuss the restructure of the planet. Some nation representatives argue that they must act now before it's too late, while others are concerned that the newest Prince – and one with the power of fire – doesn't have sufficient training or control of his ability. To use him could be to cause more harm to what is left of their doomed world.

 

There is no King, no staff to welcome the Twelfth and final Prince to the palace. His arrival is lost within political chaos and the guards barely push him inside the gate before they're back to their posts. Their final member comes politely through the palace doors all by himself and Kai and the others stand in the court, waiting patiently to accept him as he wanders inside.

 

There's a great moment of silence when he stops in front of them. He holds up well under their collective scrutiny, though Kai can tell he's nervous. He's a tall, lanky kid in a holey t-shirt and ripped jeans, scuffed sneakers and a faded baseball cap on his head. He looks like he needs a decent meal and a strong hug but his eyes are kind and his tentative smile is happy.

 

The new Prince looks to Kai, following the lead of the others and his voice has a comforting husk when he speaks without prompt, “Hi, I'm Chanyeol. I'm twenty one years old and I'm from the West.”

 

Chen and Suho perk up at that, recognizing the new Prince as one from their homeland.

 

“You took a long time coming,” Kai finally addresses him.

 

“I did, I'm sorry,” Chanyeol readjusts his cap and grins sheepishly, “I've been waiting for news of the last Prince myself. Imagine my surprise when I was it.”

 

That evokes a soft laugh through the group and Kai feels the shift in the room – the doors are closed, but Chanyeol has brought his own ray of sunlight with him and Kai is too grateful for the pleasant pause in the otherwise depressing atmosphere. He steps forward and places his hands on Chanyeol's shoulders, working up a smile for him.

 

“We're glad you're here,” he says with feeling, thinking about the years of waiting and worrying to get to this point. Now they can start helping; now they can save the planet and their people and fix everything that went so wrong.

 

Chanyeol bows his head in a nod and Kai feels him tremble beneath his hands. When the twelfth Prince looks up again, he has worried tears in his eyes and a grim smile on his face, “I just hope I wasn't too late.”

 

Kai pats his shoulder, then wrenches him forward into a hug. It's very unlike him but the last Prince is finally here, already feeling like an old friend and he can't help himself. Chanyeol is gruff in his returning hug, giving Kai's back several strong pats before he's released and pulled back in by the others.

 

They are finally twelve. The time has come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. The Lost Planet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fictional piece of work. It does not mean to cause offense or defamation. Let's be grown ups here and enjoy it for what it is. This is also a multi-chapter deal, so bear in mind that commitment is needed. Feedback of all kinds is appreciated and greatly encouraged.

Chanyeol is put through a series of tests in order for the council to see his capabilities. Everyone fears his power isn't mature enough, that he doesn't wield full control over it yet; one wrong move and he could scorch the planet whole. He is pushed too hard and too fast through rigorous training exercises and Chanyeol's cheerful, positive demeanor cracks beneath the pressure. Kai's had six years of hard training – Chanyeol is getting six years of hard training in the space of a week.

 

On the fifth night of his new regime, Kai finds Chanyeol sitting in the corner of the empty library with his knees curled into his chest, head against the cold wooden paneling of the wall as he breathes in clipped, broken gulps, crying silently. Kai doesn't say a word, just sits down beside him and gently slides an arm around Chanyeol's back, offering him what comfort he can. After a few moments, Chanyeol lifts his head from the wall and dips it down onto Kai's shoulder, heaving a shaky sigh.

 

“I can't say it'll be over soon,” Kai tells him, “I can't even say exactly what it is we will be doing. But I _can_ say we're all in this together. You're not alone.”

 

Chanyeol sags against him a little more and Kai wraps his arms around him as far as they can reach.

 

He remembers his first month in the palace, where his daily lessons were so intense that his entire body hurt as it learned new ways of thinking and moving. He remembers the accompanying nights, mostly spent in his bathroom crying under the shower spray as he sat in a pool of warm, blood-tinged water, relieving his aches and pains while his nose bled out - his brain protesting under too much trauma. Being the first of the Twelve Born meant he was surrounded by palace servants and guards and tutors, but it also meant he was precious, untouchable to the many people around him. By the time Luhan arrived, Kai was so used to suffering alone that he'd closed himself away.

 

Somewhere in the middle as their ranks grew, he began to open up. Friendships formed through hardships and he began to feel again – sadness, at the thought of his family; anger at the World King as the cruel difference between palace life and everything else stretched further apart; and unabashed happiness whenever his brothers found something to laugh about among the many difficulties in front of them.

 

It was when their bonds began forming that Kai kept hearing it: _We're in this together. You're not alone. I've got you. I'm here._ Whenever someone in the group suffered, no matter how big or small, someone else was always there for reassurance. When Kai realized this, he made an effort to do his part in keeping his kin on level. Remembering his days alone, he vowed never to let his brothers experience what he had.

 

 

 

The World King and government heads convene in back-to-back meetings over the following week to roll out their plans to save Exo Planet. Their tutors give testimony of their skill level, strengths and weaknesses in order to help solidify their individual duties.

 

When the plans are finalized, the Twelve Born are brought into the Council Hall to stand before the World King and government officials. They're informed that Tao will be the first up – with his power of time control, it will be his job to slow down the planet's erosion as much as he possibly can. While Kai and the others are rattled at the news, Tao looks like he's been sentenced to death row. If by some stretch of hope Tao can pull it off, he probably won't survive the incredible usage of his power.

 

Kai is tasked with teleporting D.O. around the globe to chosen energy points where he'll plant magnetic tapers into the earth. Chen will jump start them, which should hold the fabric of the planet together temporarily while the others stabilize it. Suho and Lay will replenish the world's water and plant growth, and Chanyeol and Xiumin will raise and level out the planet's core temperature. Kris and Luhan will correct the world's broken axis, which should result in better atmospheric conditions for the planet to thrive in.

 

Kai's heart pounds as it begins to dawn on him that none of them may make it out alive. They'd been so stuck on the World King's possessiveness, believed they would be his property once there was no longer a need for them. They hadn't once thought of the possibility that their life mission would be their _only_ mission. He looks to the tutors who stand at the back of the room – Fao-In, Pei and Linka appear to be just as stricken, and Jin is returning Kai's gaze with a fierce determination he's never seen in his instructor before.

 

 

 

An earthquake suddenly rocks the palace, rattling the light fixtures and wall ornaments so hard that most of the council members duck for cover. The World King is rushed to the safety of his back office doorway where the archways are the most solid, and Kai and the others latch onto each other while Luhan slowly swipes his hand around the room, steadying as much as he can with his telekinesis. D.O. rushes forward as one of the main door pillars cracks and detaches itself, falling towards a pair of cowering government officials. He catches it on his hands and shoulders and grits his teeth as he bears the full weight of it, concentrating on upholding his strength. Kai teleports the two men out of the way and D.O. allows the pillar to crash to the ground.

 

As the quake rumbles to an end, Lay goes to a woman who was struck with shattered glass while the others survey the damage around the room.

 

Several palace guards storm into the frightening silence of the hall moments later as the King returns to the center of the room.

 

The King brushes his robes off, “I want to know what's going on.”

 

“The quakes originated in the northern territories, Your Highness,” one of them replies, “We don't know the extent of the damage yet, but so far it's not looking good.”

 

Luhan, Lay and Tao straighten up at the words, all immediately concerned for their families.

 

 

They hear the news later that night. Earthquakes have leveled the remaining building structures in the northern territories, trapping and killing most of the population there. The planet's tectonic plates have collapsed and it begins a chain of disasters – buried, live mines throughout the military provinces go off in the south and flooding begins near the western temples. Luhan's, Lay's and Tao's families are all wiped out without warning. D.O., Baekhyun and Xiumin worry about their families in the south and Chen, Suho and Chanyeol fear for theirs in the west. They're all devastated, terrified and panicked which does Lay no favors.

 

Sehun tries to restrain him while he writhes on the floor, scratching at his chest in what looks like an alarming attempt to dig his own heart out, “Lay, _Lay_ \---”

 

“Everybody needs to calm down,” Kai warns, watching helplessly as Sehun’s usually cocky demeanor disappears under the weight of his concern for Lay. Tao sits curled against the wall, sobbing into his hands and Kai moves over to him, “I know it's hard, _I know it's hard_. But we have to calm down---”

 

“Hyung _,_ _please_ ,” Sehun pleads with him, petting his hair and face while Baekhyun holds onto Lay's wrists, “We're okay, you're okay. I'm here. You need to _listen_ to me.”

 

Lay's a mess of tears and strangled, wounded cries and it's apparent that his mindless state is only causing the others to panic even more. Xiumin is holding onto Luhan, though Luhan looks too numb to register what's going on in the room. Suho, Chen and Chanyeol flank Tao on all sides and attempt to get his breathing under control. D.O. is staring at everyone with the wide-eyed sadness of a little boy, paralyzed with grief and unsure of who to go to first, while Kris stands by the windows, looking out at the sky, his anger almost an aural vibration.

 

When Tao starts screaming and pushing the others away in anger, Kai goes to Sehun and Lay.

 

“We need to get him out of here, _now_ ,” Sehun says, his gaze vehement. Kai doesn’t think twice and drops his hands down onto each boy before he teleports them to Lay's bedroom at the other end of the wing.

 

Sehun gently pushes Lay down onto his bed and sits down beside him, holding both of his hands still. Lay seems only a fraction calmer now that he isn't trapped in a room with eleven of his emotionally distraught kin, but he's still squirming, still trying to pull at his shirt, still in the grips of something Kai doesn’t understand. He sees bloody fingernail welts across the skin of his chest where the neck of his training shirt is ripped open - damage he'd caused himself before Sehun could get to him.

 

“Hyung, look at me. Can you look at me?” Sehun asks Lay gently, “Can you even hear me? Squeeze my hands if you can hear me. Kai, come here.”

 

Kai moves as ordered and Sehun instructs him to sit at the head of the bed. Sehun lifts Lay’s head onto Kai’s lap and slides down until he can rest his own against Lay's chest. There, Sehun proceeds to wrap his limbs around him in a faux cuddle – it appears to be an attempt to comfort him, but Kai knows it is really a maneuver to prevent him from harming himself further. The youngest of the Twelve closes his eyes and grits his teeth, holding onto Lay for dear life.

 

Kai’s never seen him so worried.

Lay is the most gentle, most polite, most kind of their band of brothers but he’s never been a truly happy person. His smiles never quite reach his eyes and his laughter is soft, half-hearted on the best of days. Kai hasn’t ever found himself overjoyed to be alive either – the world they know has always been too harsh and too full of suffering to warrant happiness.

 

They’ve all seen Lay’s episodes before. In the beginning his expression would crack open, tears would be shed and he’d have to hide himself away in his room for the remainder of the day until whatever outside emotions affecting him were no longer in the air. Then, as more and more bad news from beyond the Capital breached the palace walls, the pain Lay felt became physical. The more the world suffered, the harder Lay found it to sleep, eat, move, breathe. News of death gave Lay chest pains, sickness brought him migraines. The worries of the palace staff, guards and tutors made him ache all over like an open wound. On days like that, Lay would be locked in a room with Pei, meditating for hours on end in a bid to keep his sanity. Somewhere down the line, Sehun had taken it upon himself to be his anchor, his failsafe; the last thing to keep him together when he couldn’t find a way to do it himself.

 

Kai has seen it all. But the look in Lay’s eyes now, drowning beneath his tears unseeingly, is entire new and frightening.

 

“It’s the whole _world_ ,” Sehun’s murmur cuts the silence of the room, his voice cracking as Lay begins to hyperventilate in his arms, “He’s feeling everything from everyone on the _whole damn planet_.”

 

Kai sees the tear tracks like silvery lines falling across Lay’s cheeks in the lamp light and moves to gently wipe them away with his fingers, the intimate touch incredibly alien to him. He drums up every bit of protection, admiration and love he feels for his healer brother and focuses on sending it to him. His ears latch onto Sehun’s soft, lulling murmurs of _everything is okay, please be okay._

“ _Shhhh_ ,” Kai hushes quietly and begins to comb his fingertips through Lay’s hair, the way his mother used to do for him whenever he cried as a child. “ _We’ve got you_.”

 

The two of them work together like that for minutes on end, possibly hours; feeling the tension and breathing in Lay’s body ebb and level outuntil he is completely limp, breathing deeply.

 

Kai sweeps Lay’s hair off his sweaty forehead with a finger and Sehun mashes his face in Lay’s shirt, releasing a shuddering breath.

 

“Is he asleep?” Kai asks.

 

“Meditating,” Sehun replies, “Pei taught him the intense stuff. He’ll be tuned out for a few hours.”

 

“Will he be okay?”

 

Kai watches Sehun shift softly against Lay, holding him now instead of restraining him.

 

“I really don’t know,” He answers, “I don’t know what I’ll do if he’s not.”

 

It suddenly dawns on him the extent of which Sehun cares for Lay. He’s not sure how it started or at what point they became fast friends, but somewhere over the course of the last several months they’d bonded deeply while no one was watching. Smartass Sehun, who liked to cloak himself in sarcasm and indifference had somehow grown a soft spot for Lay. And Lay, his exact opposite, had gravitated towards him in an unnaturally natural way.

 

On paper, it didn’t work. However, Kai had seen it in action himself – Lay would laugh at Sehun’s bluntness like it was the best thing ever and Sehun would smile at Lay’s laughter like it was everything he’d ever wanted to hear.

 

It pains Kai now to think those times may be over for good.

 

 

 

Everyone gathers an hour later in the training room. Lay remains across the wing in deep meditation, and Sehun thinks its safe to leave him alone for the time being.

 

“You want to _what_?” Chen asks worriedly.

 

“I’m going to go out,” Kai repeats, “Survey the damage, get the answers they’ll try keeping from us. I want to see for myself how bad it is because I don’t trust a damn thing the King has told us so far.”

 

“It’s too dangerous,” Baekhyun pipes in, unusually timid, “We should stay together.”

 

“ _We need to do something_ ,” Kai presses, “If this is really it, we need to be out there helping.”

 

Luhan speaks up, “I agree with Kai.”

 

“Same here,” Xiumin adds.

 

“I’ll be quick,” Kai promises as he shrugs his coat over his shoulders, “Did everyone bring their photos?”

 

Suho pulls a tattered photograph from his pants pocket and passes it forward, “What are you doing with them?”

 

Kai gently takes it and sees a man and a little boy standing in front of a forest cabin, holding up snakes speared on sticks, “I’m going to try and track down our families.”

 

The boys all fall quietly surprised, looking to Kai with a mixture of gratitude, trepidation and hope.

 

“I want to confirm what I can,” he says, taking their offered photographs of the homes they once knew. He flicks through them – they each have enough detail to get him there. He just hopes their homes are still standing.

 

“ _Thank you_ ,” Tao whispers with great reverence, his voice still full of tears as he folds his arms around himself.

 

“Be careful,” Xiumin implores, “Come straight back if anything feels wrong.”

 

Kai pockets the photos inside his coat, looking to each of his kin and trying not to let the gravity of the situation get to him.

 

He gives a grim smile, “It _all_ feels wrong.”

 

 

He slips out of the palace and dodges the guards before sprinting for the tree line, feeling the weight of his brother’s anxious gazes watching him through the east wing windows. When he’s far enough away that his power won’t be heard by anyone who could try to stop him, he closes his eyes and teleports out - his parents, his home, his childhood bed in mind.

 

 

 

 

 

Kai arrives in his old room, surprisingly without fail.

 

He takes a moment to soak it in. His old bed, made from hay and stitched together rice sacks, the plank walls his mother had painted with red dirt, pictures of stars and moons, his hopes and dreams…the hollow in the clay floor that still has the tattered books he was taught to read with and the animal figurines his father made him, carved out of wood. His breath is heavy and shaky and loud in the quiet of the room, and his heart is pounding in his ears.

 

Nothing has changed.

 

He wrenches himself forward through the doorway and goes through the house room by room. His parent’s room is the same as he remembers it, the kitchen corner, the central room…nothing has changed from the day he left it. He sees his mother’s old iron pot still sitting on the burner, utensils out. It’s cold to the touch and covered with a thick layer of dust and when he lifts the lid, the stench of rot rears him backwards. His father’s clay drinking bowl sits on the resting bench, cracked down the sides. The house looks like his parent’s had left for the market six years ago and never returned.

 

He touches a hand to his chest, his heartbeat suddenly thicker, heavier. There’s a slow rising dread coming up the back of his neck the more his eyes travel around the room. His mind is restless, full of different scenarios and none of them are good. _It’s all the same…it shouldn’t be the same…_ He turns and turns, trying to see something, _anything_ that will give him a clue and when his eyes are momentarily blinded by stray beams of light, he sees it and he wishes he hadn’t.

 

Bullet holes.

 

Three that he can see, along the main room wall. The light shining through them lands across Kai’s chest like a sniper lazer.

 

He starts pacing the room in a panic, boots scuffing, eyes glued to the floor, looking for blood, signs of a struggle, injury, anything unusual. He comes up with nothing and it gives him the smallest shred of hope. He runs out of the house and traipses to the nearest houses, looking for signs of life. He quickly realizes there aren’t many left - some are still standing, others are falling apart. His heart is in his throat when he sees the home of his childhood best friend. It’s burnt to the ground.

 

“Is anybody here!?” Kai shrieks, stepping onto the main road of the marketplace. The old carts are destroyed, no goods in sight. Everything is ransacked and the dirt road tells of frantic foot traffic. People were clearly in a hurry here.

 

He goes through into old Mr. Chun’s food shop and freezes in the doorway.

 

Bodies, lying face down, hands tied behind their backs. The backs of their heads smashed open. There are five that he can see and the smell is just ripe enough that whatever happened here was recent. A few days old at most.

 

Kai stumbles back out onto the street, tasting bile in his throat. He does a double-take as something catches his glance to the left – more bodies, just lying in the street. Tears spring to his eyes and he hears a breathy, pained moan, full of quiet agony. He realizes it’s coming from his own mouth.

 

He grabs his hair in his fists as he turns, eyes tracking in every direction as he tries to think, tries to quell his rising emotions. His brothers are counting on him for answers. He can’t afford the time for a meltdown.

 

He turns swiftly when he hears the dry scrape of wood on dirt and sees a man approaching him in the middle of the road, dragging a battered baseball bat on the ground. He’s momentarily relieved to see someone alive, but his gut is telling him to leave as soon as possible. It’s only his need for information that keeps him where he is.

 

“What happened here?” Kai calls out.

 

The man continues forward slowly, casually picking something out of his teeth.

 

“Raid,” He says, “The provinces around here are the only ones that haven’t been destroyed; naturally everyone came through here for safety and supplies. Though there wasn’t much to begin with. The world ends and it’s the poor left standing. Irony at its finest.”

 

Kai notices the man’s tattered military issue clothing and deducts he’s from the south, “You look like you’re a long way from home.”

 

The man grunts and sneers, and Kai’s fight or flight response begins to crank up, “Could say the same, Your _Majesty_.”

 

Kai broadens his stance and plants his feet, choosing to meet the man’s hostility head on.

 

“Did you guys notice the world was falling apart while you got fitted for your new designer threads, pretty boy?” The man says, gesturing loosely at Kai’s clothing, “You look like you’ve been living the high life.”

 

“Yeah, the last six years have been a total dream,” Kai replies with great sarcasm. Which makes him think of Sehun, which makes him think of the others and he decides he needs to move on.

 

“Meanwhile, I had to kill a man today for a loaf of rotten bread,” the man laughs and swings his baseball bat up onto his shoulders, “Do you know what that’s like?”

 

Kai sees the bat as he grows closer now, sees the bloodstains both dried and new, “I’m guessing you’ve done a lot more than that.”

 

“Yeah…” the man muses with a nod, looking entirely unashamed even as he bows his head, “But y’know, it was me or them.”

 

“Are there any other survivors here?” Kai asks, though he’s not optimistic about the answer, “Or have you killed everyone?”

 

“Like I said…it was me or them.”

 

The man comes to a standstill before Kai and taps the bat on his shoulder three times, mouth stretching into a grin. When he swings the bat, Kai is already gone.

 

 

He flicks in and out of the nearby provinces and sees more of the same; raided supplies, bodies in the streets, houses burned down or collapsed among the fray. He uses the photograph provided by Sehun and focuses on it, transfers the image into his mind’s eye and wills his body to _go_.

 

Sehun’s home is situated in one of the higher populated eastern territories, where roads are gravel and houses aren’t made of clay and scrap wood. Kai is briefly awed by the humble farmhouse he arrives at, imagines the memories Sehun might have had growing up in such a peaceful place. He sees an old truck parked by the shed, overgrown grass stretching up along its sides. He does a sweep of the house perimeter and discovers the rear entrance caved in. The parts that survived, however, look ransacked and long since abandoned.

 

He moves onto Kris’ family home in the suburbs and finds it turned upside down. The house itself is beautiful but its innards are decrepit, worn down with use and no money to fix it with. Kris had told them his family had gone from middleclass to poor overnight when the world’s economy collapsed twenty years ago – after that, money was only useful to start fires with. He thinks of Kris’ father and remembers the desperation on his face as he was dragged into Capital Square, screaming for his family and demanding they not be harmed for his petty theft. He sees the old bed mats on the bedroom floors, the modest possessions. It’s depressing, but still so much more than he grew up with.

 

He stops short when he goes through the living room – the coals in the open fireplace are warm. He walks as quietly as he can through the rest of the house and his heart leaps when he hears quiet voices coming from one of the end rooms. He approaches the doorway cautiously but the voices cut off as they sense his presence.

 

“I’m not here to harm anyone,” he calls out clearly, “I’m only looking for survivors. I’m a friend of Kris.”

 

A few long, tense moments pass before he hears shuffling, and it’s another long moment before a young couple peer out at him from around the door.

 

“Don’t know a Kris,” the young man says as he holds his girlfriend behind his shoulder protectively.

 

“This is his house,” Kai replies.

 

“This is _our_ house,” he answers back, “Been here almost seven months now.”

 

It dawns on him that Kris’ family hasn’t been in the house since Kris arrived at the palace. He’s pleased that he’s putting the pieces together, but with his family, Sehun’s and Kris’ all missing, the overall puzzle doesn’t look good. He thinks back to Sehun’s house, the dust and the overgrown lawns, and remembers his own home coated in dust but virtually undisturbed like his parents had simply walked out and never come back. Did they really disappear six years ago?

 

“We’d appreciate it if you left now,” the young man says, bringing Kai out of his worrying thoughts.

 

“Yeah sure,” Kai murmurs distractedly, “Hey, when you got here, what did the place look like? Did it look packed up? Was everything gone?”

 

“Nah man,” he replies, “Place was abandoned. Their stuff’s now our stuff.”

 

Kai nods numbly and steps back out on wobbly feet _. So they’re all gone_ , he thinks.

 

He pulls out the next photo as he wanders back out onto the street – Tao’s – and has to take a moment to blink away his tears as he consciously decides to move on. He has no choice but to continue, people are counting on him, so he bites down on his quivering lip and sets Tao’s family photo into his mind. He teleports to the north, his power’s residual gunshot echoing off the withered suburban architecture as he leaves.

 

 

 

The north is completely leveled, just as they feared.

 

Previously known as the industrial region, the north was once full of skyscrapers, high-rises and apartment blocks. But as Kai tracks down what is left of Tao’s, Lay’s and Luhan’s homes, there’s nothing but rubble and dust. He sits down on the broken concrete foundations of Lay’s family home and has to pull himself together, though he takes a small measure of comfort in believing their families are probably missing just like the others. There’s a possibility they are somewhere else, somewhere safe.

 

Next, he travels to the lush, green rainforests of the west, his intentions on Suho’s home. Having been warned of severe flooding, Kai teleports in increments to find the highest vantage point to survey the land. Suho’s home is long gone, washed out within the first floods and Chanyeol’s home is abandoned much like his own – everything still in its place.

 

Orphaned at a young age and raised by monks, Chen lived in the high rocks of the western temples. Kai not only finds them unharmed, but is greeted by survivors from the surrounding western districts. He gets spotted as soon as he teleports within the vicinity by one particularly excited kid who races off to the main hall to spread the news, and then the temple elders are beckoning him inside.

 

He gets given a bowl of water to drink and they offer him a room to rest in, but Kai’s already pressed for time. What started off as a simple surveillance mission has turned into a missing person’s investigation, and while he knows his brothers won’t mind, he doesn’t want to worry them any further.

 

“Chen’s caregivers,” Kai begins, “Can you tell me who they are and where I can find them?”

 

Elder Ziao frowns and Kai’s stomach twists, “You don’t know?”

 

“Tell me,” He all but begs.

 

“Elder Liu adopted Chen as his son when his parents were killed in the central floods seventeen years ago,” the monk explains, “The day our Chen was escorted to the Capital, Elder Liu was escorted by the King’s men. He was being moved to one of the King’s off-site palaces as a reward for raising Chen, I believe.”

 

Kai flounders at the new information, “Off-site palace?”

 

“Yes,” Elder Ziao nods, “The World King has a palace building outside the southern military camp. He resides there when he visits.”

 

Kai’s heart sinks into his stomach, “I heard the south was destroyed by live mines.”

 

“The camp grounds have been, yes,” The elder says, “But the King isn’t allowed to be within 5 miles of the red zones. His palace will be safe.”

 

The temple monks all bow to the ground, the adults clasp their hands in prayer and Kai has to gently push his adoring child fans away to a safe distance when he goes to leave. He takes in as much of their faces as he can, hoping he will see them alive and safe when he and his brothers have saved the planet. When he teleports out, the crack of his power across the rocky cliffs has the kids squealing back to their parents.

 

 

Kai uses D.O.’s photo, being the closest thing to the King’s supposed palace, as his anchor. He skips the home visits, already surmising they’ll be empty but he takes a long hard look at the southern landscape. Mines have obliterated the army camp and surrounding townships – what were once flatlands is now a great canyon and the shear size of it is frightening. It’ll be one of the first things they’ll need to fix if they’re to stabilize the planet’s structure.

 

He teleports ahead as far as he can see, flicking in and out across the land. There are no trees to deter his sight, just desert and horizon lines and the closest thing to a building anywhere near the central army camp is a concrete compound. He doesn’t know what he expected from a military issue palace building, but this isn’t it.

 

He gets closer and looks for armed guards but there’s no one around. Kai walks into the building freely, which doesn’t give him any kind of assurance and stops when he arrives inside.

 

It’s not a palace. It’s a prison.

 

The possibility that his parents have been locked away in this building for _six years_ is not lost on him, and it hurts. He pictures the most horrible scenarios as he begins to walk the different blocks and he starts running when he sees real prison cells, wondering where their families are.

 

“Mother!” Kai shrieks in a panic, his voice echoing throughout the atrium, “Father! Where are you?!”

 

He runs and runs, the sounds of his boots echoing off cold concrete walls as he keeps screaming, calling to his parents, to the others, trying to locate them. When he finds them all, he understands why they wouldn’t answer his cries.

 

The gravity of the true horror before him takes a moment to sink in, but when it does, he violently throws up and collapses, hitting his head on the cement floor.

 

Kai feels warm blood pooling beneath his left temple, and he thinks the same thing over and over again, _oh god, oh god, no,_ as he falls unconscious.

 

 

 

The sun is long gone and the ground is vibrating beneath his cheek when he wakes up some time later. He catches shards of moonlit dust, concrete and rusted iron in his blurry vision and the smell of rotten blood and decay assaults his nostrils before he remembers where he is. He bolts up when the vibration in the ground grows more pronounced – earthquakes – and remembers his brothers are waiting for him. The quakes catch up with the compound and the building begins to break apart around him.

 

 _Is this the end?_ He thinks numbly, and he can’t bring himself to be terrified at the idea. Instead, he feels an anger he’s never experienced before, hot like napalm in his stomach at the horrific things he’s witnessed. He thinks of the World King, his hidden brutality behind his motives, the lies he’s fed them all this time. Nothing has been what they thought and now it’s too late. _They were supposed to be safe_ , he thinks. _We believed they were safe._

 

He teleports out before the roof caves in, vengeance on his mind.

 

 

 

 

His power cracks loudly against the palace’s cold marble walls when he arrives and he storms through the main corridor, footfalls quick and steady, his coat billowing behind him. The entire Capital is vibrating and Kai thinks they’ve got five minutes at most before the quakes reach them.

 

The sound of his arrival tips off his brothers and Suho rushes out from the training wing at the other end of the hall, followed by the others, “Kai! Oh _thank god!_ ”

 

The relief on each of their faces is palatable and Kai sees that Lay is now up and about, but the healer suddenly shifts to the front of the group and stops them from approaching him, a new kind of worry in his eyes. Kai briefly wonders what kind of madness Lay must feel coming off of him.

 

“Where is he.”

 

“Who?” Baekhyun pipes up.

 

“ _The King_ ,” Kai growls.

 

“In the council chambers,” Suho answers with hesitance, “But they’re----”

 

Kai’s sudden appearance in the council hall gives the gathered district representatives a fright and the room falls silent as he walks through, his burning gaze trained on the King where he sits high on his throne.

 

“What is the meaning of this?!” The King bellows indignantly, “Council is in session! Guards! _Guards---!_ ”

 

Kai teleports to the throne and punches the King from his seat with all the anger he can wield in his arm, much to the startled gasps of the council members. He must hit him hard because the King splutters bright red blood down the front of his white and gold robes.

 

“What are you doing?!” he cries, cowering even as Kai hits him again. The council members leap out of their seats but remain where they are, too afraid of getting involved even as Kai delivers the King another crippling punch, “ _Somebody do something!_ ”

 

The palace guards burst in through the chamber doors and Kai can hear his brothers running into the hall behind them. He grabs the King by the lapels and shakes him, and he looks over his shoulder briefly to see Luhan, Tao, Kris, D.O. and Xiumin all disabling the guards and their weapons.

 

“Everybody _out!_ ” Kai orders.

 

The council members immediately scamper from the room without question, all of them nothing but power-hungry cowards riding on the coat tails of their respected King, waiting for their bag of gold. Chanyeol has to throw a bit of fire around to get the guards to leave but when they do, D.O. closes the heavy chamber doors.

 

“Tell me what it is you think you’re doing!” The King sneers, his teeth red with blood.

 

“What did you plan to do with us?” Kai asks, shaking him hard, “Huh? Were we ever going to do what we were destined for? Or were we just a means to earn you tributes from the provinces? Your riches weren’t enough, right? So you needed the rice and grains and the _gratitude_ from your starving people instead?”

 

“You’ve lived the life of luxury since you got here, _boy_ ,” The King spits, “I didn’t see you complain _once_.”

 

“We were supposed to save the planet!” Kai screams, “And now there’s nothing left! _There’s nothing left!_ ”

 

“Go on then,” The King says, “Go save the planet. Go do what you can, be the heroes you want to be, _die trying_. At the end of the day, you will be dust just like the rest of them. You think you’re all heaven sent? Where were you when our resources started disappearing two hundred years ago? Where were you during the drought age seventy years ago? Where were you when the earthquakes started destroying the planet thirty years ago?! We were meant to be saved by Gods, and instead Heaven sent me a bunch of whiney children with barely enough power to move a _tumbleweed_.”

 

Kai’s breathing is harsh as he grips the King’s robes.

 

“The planet is destroyed,” The King says with great indifference, “And it’s all on you.”

 

“I want to know why,” Kai says, “Just tell me why. Why you kept us on such a short leash. We had the time---”

 

“ _Yes_ , you had time. _Yes_ , you could have saved the planet. _Yes_ , it was the prophecy,” the King laughs, “But why would I care about any of that? The world’s people have wanted my head on a pike for centuries. How can I rule them if they’d all rather die than follow me? The world’s hierarchy is nonexistent. The thrill is over. It’s time to move on.”

 

Kai’s breath shakes as he trembles with fury, “So you were just going to sit back and watch the planet burn?”

 

“Why would I stick around for that?” the King smiles and touches Kai’s face in an unnervingly tender way, “When I have my very own teleporter?”

 

The fine hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stand up. His blood feels like it freezes in his veins. His heart seems to stop. The truth renders Kai utterly stunned.

 

“You…you----”

 

“I mean to escape,” the King nods, “Why do you think I had Mikail teach you of earth? You are the only thing I need. I surrounded you with the perfect teachers, people that could help you push your limits and boy, you _did not disappoint._ ”

 

“You want me to teleport you…to another planet?” Kai huffs in disbelief, almost unable to think. The distance is far greater than he’s ever trained for…the attempt would either kill him or lose him in the ether, “You’re _insane_.”

 

“You’ll have no choice but to help me,” the King smirks, “ _Not if you ever have a hope of seeing your parents again_.”

 

He understands now.

 

He wondered why the King had always ordered them around, completely unafraid, like they wouldn’t one day turn on him. Their parents were always going to be leverage, a dangled false hope to keep them in line. And they were always going to suffer because of it.

 

He understands now. And he sees red.

 

He thinks of the cellblock at the compound and what he walked into there, the grotesque graveyard of their beloved parents, forever destroying a part of him. He thinks of the shock of seeing it with his own eyes, and the burden of knowing that one day he would have to explain to his kin exactly what he saw. They would eventually ask for the truth and Kai wasn’t sure of they could live with it; he wasn’t sure how _he_ was going to live with it. The last pieces of their innocence would be stolen away forever, and all because of the King.

 

So he doesn’t stop his hands when they suddenly circle the King’s throat. He can’t un-see the bodies, the blood, the horror their loved ones suffered and he’s too unwilling to let the King go without punishment. He _needs_ to be punished.

 

The King’s face grows red as he struggles against him, his neck veins bulging beneath Kai’s hands. He ignores the alarm in his brothers’ voices and climbs on top of him, bearing down on the King’s windpipe.

 

The King chokes, blood and spit spattering his mouth and his eyes grow bloodshot under the pressure.

 

“Kai, you’re killing him!” Lay yells.

 

 _It’s what he deserves_ , he thinks to himself. He sees his monstrous reflection in the terror of the King’s gaze and closes his eyes, shuts it out. He doesn’t want to see. _It’s what he deserves._ But he thinks of the horrors his parents had suffered at the hands of someone who would have looked the same and he roars with frustration. _But it’s what he deserves!_

 

Kai screams and sends the King sprawling onto the court floor, hacking and gasping for breath past his ruined throat.

 

“You deserve so much more than what I can do to you!” Kai wails as he falls back onto his butt on the throne platform. The grief and the shock finally hit him like a tidal wave, tears flooding his eyes when he sees the concern in the expressions of his kin, “We thought they were safe! _You said they’d be safe!_ ”

 

Luhan seems to understand the situation faster than the rest of them and grows scarily still.

 

“You think I’ll help you?! They’re all _dead!_ ” Kai screams, crying hopelessly now, “You had them tortured and you had them _killed!”_

 

His sobs get strangled in his throat and his heart breaks as he watches his brothers’ worst fears register across each of their faces. They all go still with shock – Luhan finally falls to his knees, tears gathering in his eyes and Lay grabs at his chest as the emotions in the room shift. He stumbles back into Chanyeol, who catches him and gently lowers him to the floor with Sehun’s help. There’s too much anger and grief in the confines of the hall for him to handle.

 

Kris strides over to the King and grabs him roughly into a headlock before anyone can think to stop him, and he wrenches his arms to the side in one swift jolt. The sickening crunch of the King’s neck echoes on the marble tile, rendering everyone quiet. Kris kicks the King’s body forward on the ground carelessly and glances up at Kai.

 

“That was for my father,” he says, squaring his shoulders, “It’s my burden to carry, no one else’s.”

 

Kai can’t find it in himself to argue, but the shock of it brings him back to the present. Lay needs help.

 

He scrambles down off the platform and runs over, catching the rising panic is Sehun’s voice as he tries to calm him down. Kai only remembers now a maneuver Jin taught him a few weeks ago and tries it out, pressing his thumb, index and middle finger down on the main arteries to the side of Lay’s neck. It’s meant to render an enemy unconscious but he doesn’t see the group straightening out their emotions any time soon and he can’t bear to see Lay suffer another terrible episode.

 

“It’s okay,” Kai murmurs to him as he wipes his own tears off his face, “Just rest.”

 

Sehun grabs his wrist when Lay’s eyes flutter closed but Kai quickly assures him.

 

“He’s unconscious,” he says, taking Lay’s limp arms and pulling him forward, “Get him on your back. We need to---”

 

They all whip around as the palace rocks violently. Next to the window, the stone bust of the King’s great grandfather topples and smashes across the floor tile. Another severe rumble cracks the glass of the windows, and loose shards fall to the ground, crashing into thousands of pieces. The earthquakes are finally here and they’re out of time.

 

“Quickly,” Kai urges, helping Sehun lift Lay onto his back. _This is it. This is the end,_ “We’re going to the training room! Everybody grab on!”

 

Xiumin lifts Luhan to his feet and gently pushes him forward. Suho grabs Tao, Chen and Chanyeol and shuffles them over to Kai, ensures they all get a proper hold of him. D.O. shoves Baekhyun into Kai’s arms when the ornate gold chandelier detaches from the ceiling and falls towards them. He grabs one of its arms and throws it with his brute strength, sending it flying across the room, safely away from everybody else.

 

They all get situated behind Kai, “Where’s Lay?”

 

“Here,” Kris says and lifts one of Lay’s limp hands from where it dangles down Sehun’s chest, pressing it firmly to Kai’s shoulder.

 

“Everybody’s attached?” Kai asks, and they all answer affirmatively.

 

The chamber doors suddenly push open and Jin skids into the room, freezing momentarily when he spots the King unmoving on the floor, “Kai _, stop!_ Save your strength, you’re going to need it!”

 

Kai balks at his senior, “What?”

 

“Window, everybody out the window,” Jin orders, “The field is the safest place right now. Kris, grab who you can carry and get them down. Kai, take no more than one at a time, you need to conserve energy. D.O., Luhan, with me.”

 

Kai refuses, “No, no one is separating---”

 

“Kai, you have to go, now,” Jin implores forcefully and thrusts his hands at the broken window, “With their abilities they’ll be safe, you can’t take everyone. We don’t have time. We’ll meet you outside. Go, _now!_ ”

 

He rounds D.O. and Luhan up and they disappear from the room. Kai turns to Kris, worried at how fast things are unraveling and sees Kris already leaping out of the window with Tao in his arms.

 

“Take Lay first,” Sehun says and lowers the healer’s feet gently to the floor.

 

Kris flies back up to the window and beckons the next person, “Baekhyun.”

 

“Yes, hyung,” he replies obediently, waiting for Kris to get closer before he circles his hands around Kris’ shoulders and leaps into his arms, closing his eyes against the sight of the ground 30 meters below.

 

Kai pulls Lay against his chest and teleports him to the open space of the palace fields. Tao immediately takes Lay from him and he teleports back up for the next person. Kris takes Xiumin and Chen while Kai transports Sehun, Suho and Chanyeol to safety, and they wait anxiously for their remaining members to arrive as the earth ripples beneath their feet.

 

Baekhyun points wordlessly when the south side of the palace begins to collapse before their very eyes and Kai scans the area, looking for signs of D.O., Luhan and Jin, panic rising as the rest of the building begins to crumble along with it.

 

Xiumin’s just about to take off in search of them when they finally see them coming from around the east entrance, just as it caves in on itself. The three of them are sprinting for their lives, trying to outrun the dust cloud as it gathers speed behind them. By the time they make it to safety, the palace is nothing but rubble.

 

Jin only allows them a brief moment to catch their breath.

 

“Right…” he looks to Kai with an expression he’s never seen on his trainer before; something sad and accepting, “D-Day’s here, guys. And it’s not going to go down the way we planned.”

 

Kai starts shaking his head at Jin’s resignation, not liking where this is going.

 

“Where are the tutors?” Suho asks, “Linka? Pei?”

 

“They left for their homelands,” Jin replies, and Kai knows he’s telling them their tutors are already dead, “They wanted to be with their people.”

 

Kai takes in the remains of the palace, his prison for the past six years, sees the ground opening up a hundred yards away, trees falling, their roots dislodged as the planet begins to collapse in on itself. The air he breathes is now smoke and dust and debris. They knew it was coming, but the reality doesn’t make it any less devastating now that it’s finally here.

 

 _This is really it_ , Kai thinks, his tears returning. He thinks of his brothers, desperation taking hold. _How am I supposed to keep them safe if there’s nowhere to go?_

 

Jin squares his shoulders and clears his throat.

 

“It’s too late,” he smiles grimly at everyone, “We’re past the point of protocol. There’s nothing more you can do here…so I’m here to give you your final orders.”

 

Kai watches each of his brothers looking to Jin for guidance, comfort, hope in what they all know to be their last moments. The tears in their wide, vulnerable stares cut him deep in a heart that’s already lost all hope. He sighs heavily.

 

When Jin calls his name, Kai meets his gaze obediently. His voice comes out thin, “Yes, sir.”

 

Jin unfolds a piece of paper from his pocket – a page from one of the library’s books – and hands it over to him. He remembers seeing other similar photos and being amazed at the colors. The only skies he has ever known are gray, and their native grass is both the color of wheat and rarely seen. The picture in his hands is of a vast green landscape, gently sloped with hills and bright with sun and blue skies. _Rice fields. Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea._

Kai swallows hard, “This…this is an earth photo…”

 

“You need to take everyone and leave,” Jin continues, “You need to get everyone to safety. The atmosphere is similar enough that your biology won’t have any major problems adapting----”

 

“I can’t make that distance,” Kai answers, his throat tightening. _It’ll kill me_ , he thinks. _Or I’ll be the reason everybody dies._

 

“You’re gonna _have to_ ,” Jin presses, “It’s the only chance you have. There’s nothing _here_ for you.”

 

Kai’s staring at the photo in horror, shaking his head, _no, no, no, what if I leave someone behind? I can’t be the reason we all die_ , and Jin grabs his shoulders to snap him out of it, stepping close and lowering his voice, “Listen to me, _listen_ …You will all die if you stay here. You have no other choice but to try. So, _please_ …take your brothers and go.”

 

Kai meets his trainer’s eyes, sees the fierce senior figure he was molded by and for a moment he’s back in time six years ago, a child of thirteen and cracking under Jin’s frustrations.

 

_“The world depends on you! Your family depends on you! Your brotherhood will depend on you!”_

_“I-I can’t----”_

_“You’re not allowed to think you can’t because you have no other choice!”_

_“But what if I die?!”_

_“Then you’re dead anyway! You can roll over and wait for the end, or you can save as many people as you possibly can and have your death mean something! So which is it, Kai?”_

 

He’s back in Jin’s eyes – except now he sees pride, and warmth, and something halfway paternal that he’d never noticed before and they both know it’s decided. Only----

 

“Wait,” he grabs Jin’s shirt, “You’re coming too.”

 

Jin smiles and shakes his head in gentle resolution, “Don’t waste your energy, kid. I’ve made my peace.”

 

“No. _No._ ” Kai says, feeling hysterical now, and Jin grabs him by the shoulders again, “I’m not leaving you behind---”

 

“You need to concentrate on getting everyone to earth safely,” Jin tells him comfortingly, “Let me lighten the load.”

 

“Me too,” Kris adds quietly, and the whole group turns on him in complete shock.

 

Baekhyun balks, “ _Hyung!_ ”

 

“I did what I came here for,” Kris shrugs Luhan’s grip from his arm and gives them all a resolute glare, “If I can help Kai get you guys where you need to go, then I will.”

 

Kai can’t believe what he’s hearing, and yet, his decision isn’t really surprising. Kris always kept himself separate despite becoming an active part of the group dynamic, and he always had his own mission – to avenge his father’s unjust death. The way he spoke sometimes and the look in his eyes was so intensely calculated, and it had crossed Kai’s mind more than once that perhaps Kris never saw a future beyond his vengeance.

 

“I’m ready,” Kris tells them, gentler now, “Let me be done.”

 

The rest of the group must have sensed it too because they all briefly hesitate before they’re taking turns pulling Kris into tearful goodbye hugs. Tao’s a little more emotional than the rest, having tried his damnedest over the previous months to crack the wall around their closed-off brother. Sehun remains on the ground with Lay in his arms, holding him close out of his own need for comfort.

 

Kai gets pulled into the only embrace Jin has ever offered and it is over far too quick. He barely manages to squeeze the man back before he’s pushed away and the photo is being thrust in his face. The echoes of Capital tower collapsing in the distance reach them, and Kai can barely see through his tears to catch a glimpse. Jin wipes Kai’s wet face down with his rough palms and stabs a finger at the photo, latching a forceful hand around the back of his neck to get him to focus on the task.

 

“It’s your new home,” Jin tells him, “It will provide you with the means to have the life you always should have had. Don’t think of anything else. Visualize you and your brothers there, safe and happy. Don’t think of anything else.”

 

Kai stares at the photo until he can see it on the backs of his eyelids, detail for detail and he imagines the shape of the planet, how far away it is. He imagines being in a world full of color, warmth and breathable air, and he feels the beginnings of his power shifting the atoms around him.

 

He feels hands land gently on his shoulders and arms and chest and back, counts all eleven of them and focuses on their auras joining his with everything he has: _Luhan. Xiumin. Chen. Baekhyun. Chanyeol. D.O. Tao. Suho. Sehun_ and _Lay._ He visualizes his aura as a solid steel cage and locks them all in tight, pictures a blue sky ceiling and green grass base and wills his power onward. The very fabric of space and time opens for him and the threads of his being start to pull and stretch until they’re tearing at the seams and it’s nothing short of excruciating.

 

 _Luhan. Xiumin. Chen. Baekhyun. Chanyeol. D.O. Tao. Suho. Sehun. Lay,_ he repeats, over and over again. And then he finds himself praying, _If I can’t live, spare them._

 

The sound of wind rushing past his ears is a pain so sharp and intense that he can feel his throat burning as he screams. This is it.

 

_If I can’t live, spare them._


	3. To Begin Again

 

 

“Kai.”

 

Hearing his name so suddenly gives him a fright, and he whips around to see Lay standing behind him, wearing a gentle smile.

 

He notices it’s dark. The sky is a sheet of sparkling black but the air doesn’t feel cold. It’s completely still, no noise, no movement, the atmosphere feels like a blanket around him - it’s smothering in an uncomfortable way and he has the urge to shake it off but he knows deep down he can’t. _Why?_ He thinks. _Something isn’t right._

 

“Where…what is this?” Kai lets his eyes travel back to his brother. Everything feels wrong, too peaceful, too still, too much like a distraction. It’s not real enough. “Where are the others?”

 

Lay keeps smiling at him like he already knows the answer, “Kai.”

 

It hits him, memories of what he was doing, what he was _supposed_ to be doing. Getting his brothers out, getting them safe. The miniscule odds of surviving the leap. He remembers the planet falling apart beneath his very feet, what was left of their homes, their parents. Jin, sacrificing himself to improve their chances. Kris, already decided on his own fate. What was left of their world’s population all gone, all dead. _Oh god_ , he thinks, but the pain that should accompany that knowledge doesn’t come like he expects it to.

 

He ponders that, feeling so hollow his insides could echo.

 

“I’m…” he glances again at Lay, “I’m dead. Aren’t I?”

 

Lay cocks his head softly, like he’s sympathizing. It’s driving him nuts.

 

“The others…Did the others make it?” Kai swallows hard, his heart empty where he knows the grief should be, “Tell me they made it, _please…”_

 

“It’s time for you to wake up,” Lay says simply.

 

Kai pauses, “Wake up?”

 

“You’ve been away too long,” Lay continues, “The others need you. It’s time you go back now.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Kai shakes his head, frustrated and Lay suddenly grabs him by the shoulders forcefully, giving him another fright.

 

“You’re okay. They’re okay,” Lay says, his smile and raised eyebrows imploring him, “You need to return to them. You’re the only one who knows what to do.”

 

Frowning, Kai lets the words sink in but before he can get anywhere with it, Lay shakes him hard enough to rattle his bones and screams at him, his smiling face now one of panic.

 

 

 

_“Kai!”_

 

His eyes snap open.

 

Everything is incredibly bright and warm. As his vision clears and focuses, he sees blue sky and white clouds behind the worried faces of Baekhyun, Chen and D.O. leaning over him. He doesn’t get enough time to put those particular pieces together.

 

“Kai!” Baekhyun yells, clearly frantic as he goes to call over his shoulder, “ _He’s awake!_ ”

 

He takes his time to blink and swallow and shift the fingers on one hand, trying to take stock of his motor functions. Everything is working so far and nothing hurts. It’s a good sign, “What happened?”

 

“You did it, Kai. You saved us,” D.O. assures him as Suho, Chanyeol and Tao join them, “You almost died, but you saved us.”

 

“Died?” he asks, thinking back to his confusing, cryptic dream of Lay even as Baekhyun and D.O. help him into a sitting position, “But we made it, right? Everyone is okay?”

 

It seems to be the wrong thing to ask if the faces of his brothers are anything to go by. And it’s not at all the reaction he was after. The awkward pause gives him enough time to see the signs of sorrow on each of their faces. Tao’s no different from when he last saw him, still in tears but the rest of them all appear just as red-eyed and pale. His heart tightens involuntarily in the worst way imaginable.

 

“You were essentially dead,” Chen explains, his gaze unnervingly sad as he sniffles and attempts to blink tears away, “Lay worked on you for hours to bring you back. Sehun tried to get him to rest, but…”

 

Kai shifts in D.O.’s grip, trying to pull himself to his feet, “Lay? Where is he?”

 

He looks to each of them as they all turn to gaze down the hill slope, shifting apart so he can see. Sehun is sitting over a hundred meters away, almost a dot among the vast green fields. He’s still as a statue, holding Lay in his arms.

 

Baekhyun turns back to Kai with his own tears in his eyes. When he speaks, it is through trembling lips.

 

“He stopped breathing an hour ago.”

 

 

Kai’s onto his feet before another word can be spoken, taking off down the hill. _No._ When he finally reaches them, he skids and falls to his knees before Sehun, his focus on Lay. He’s pale, too pale for the amount of warmth in the air that it makes his eyes look dark and sunken in. His lips are dry and cracked and…there’s blood, the faintest trace, smeared beneath his nostrils and earlobes like someone has done their best to clean it from him. _No no no no no.._.

 

Sehun has his arms around him, holding Lay’s hands clasped together like a body ready for it’s last rites, and Kai stares and stares at Lay’s chest, waiting for it to rise with his next breath. Five seconds pass. Ten seconds pass. Twenty seconds, forty seconds, a minute.

 

He’s not moving.

 

Kai releases a sigh he didn’t know he was holding, and it punches through his teeth sounding like defeat.

 

He crawls closer and reaches a hand out----

 

“He’s gone,” Sehun mumbles, and when Kai looks at him, he sees the many dried tears on his youngest brother’s face and a scary nothingness behind his eyes.

 

Kai shakes his head, “He can’t be.”

 

When he touches Lay’s hand, it’s cold.

 

“No,” Kai shakes his head again, shifting on his knees, “He’s not. He’s _not_.”

 

The others are behind him now, trying to gently pull him away.

 

Xiumin squeezes his shoulder, “Kai…”

 

“ _No!_ ” he barks, knocking his hand away, “He’s _not!_ He said I-----“

 

Around him, his brothers remain quiet, though Xiumin encourages him to continue if only to help him work through his grief. It’s patronizing to his ears, though he knows Xiumin doesn’t mean it to be, “He said what, Kai?”

 

He looks to Lay’s face, something creeping in from the shadows of his mind. A piece of crucial information somewhere unknown to him.

 

“He said I’ve been away too long,” Kai murmurs, trying to think, trying to chase that hidden information down. His dream felt too false to be real but too vivid to mean nothing, “He said I would know what to do…”

 

Xiumin crouches down beside him, “When did he say this?”

 

“In my dream. He said I’ve been away too long, that I needed to come back. I think he woke me up,” Kai replies, turning to Xiumin with wide eyes, “I think he was _actually in my head_ , communicating with me.”

 

Xiumin looks a little lost at the suggestion, glancing up at the others and he knows no one believes him.

 

“I’m telling you, he’s not dead. He _can’t_ be----”

 

“Well he _is!_ ” Sehun suddenly screams, making everyone jump.

 

Kai finds their youngest glaring back at him, nearly quaking with anger.

 

“I would know!” He yells, “I’m the one who held him while his body slowly shut down. I’m the one that felt his last breath. _I would know!_ ”

 

“Sehun----”

 

“ _I don’t want to hear it!_ ” The youngest Prince shrieks, so full of anger, so full of grief that he now appears far older than his years, “He’s gone! _And I don’t know what to do!_ ”

 

_You’re the only one who knows what to do._

Kai hears it again, an echo in his head. It niggles at something, like a tongue over a loose tooth, deep in the recesses of his mind and he thinks again, waiting for it to shift and turn and click. He kneels there for several minutes, desperately waiting for his instincts to make sense. When they do, his back goes ram rod straight.

 

He shifts closer and pulls one of Lay’s eyelids back with the pad of his thumb. He sees broken capillaries but his irises are clear.

 

Sehun gapes, horrified, “What are you _doing?_ ”

 

Kai squeezes Lay’s hands and fingers, feeling for signs of rigor mortis in his muscles, “He hasn’t seized up yet. We have time.”

 

“Time for what?” D.O. asks.

 

“Luhan, come here,” Kai orders, and Luhan obliges only after sharing a concerned glance with the others, “His blood isn’t circulating. You need to push it for him.”

 

Luhan appears stricken, “What?”

 

“Do as he says,” Xiumin answers, and everyone turns to him out of disbelief. Kai looks up and a moment passes between them. That deep-seated trust that Xiumin has always had in him. Kai has never loved his brother as much as he does now.

 

Kai returns his attention to the task at hand, “His blood has started to settle. I need you to move it through his veins for as long as you can manage. We need to make it easy on his heart when it starts up again.”

 

“What exactly are we doing here, Kai?” Luhan asks in a dropped voice.

 

“Lay’s manifestation,” Kai explains, loudly enough for everyone to hear him clearly, “Remember? He almost died after healing his village people. Jin told me that the palace doctors ordered a bunch of scans on him and found they could help him recover faster by stimulating a part of his brain that would trigger his ability to heal himself.”

 

Suho shifts nervously, “But…Kai, he’s…”

 

“I’m _telling_ you,” Kai repeats, “He can heal himself.”

 

He remembers one particular lesson with Linka early into his new life as the First Prince, where she explained the differences in his biological make up in comparison to that of an Earth Inhabitant. He wasn’t sure what got them onto the subject, but despite Linka deeming it far too morbid for his young ears at the time, Kai learned that the body shut down at different rates after death, and it took days for the process to be complete.

 

 _“We bury our dead after seven days to allow due time for the soul to leave the body,”_ she’d said, _“The brain of an Earth Inhabitant becomes irreparably damaged once blood flow and oxygen to the organs stops. Ours are a little different.”_

 

 _“How are we different?”_ Kai had asked.

 

 _“The synapses in our brains that carry signals from cell to cell stay alive for up to five days,”_ Linka had explained, _“Heaven’s teachings call it the Last Impasse, where the soul settles its debts and says its goodbyes before it finally moves on, though scientifically we still don’t know why this happens. But with the prophecy in effect, your powers, your existence could be the key to answering this.”_

 

He also remembers speaking to Lay for the first time ever, just the two of them. He’d been nervous, always nervous around new arrivals and Lay had obviously understood as such, doing all he could to soothe him. So he talked, filling in the gaps in their conversation that Kai couldn’t. He’d talked of his family, his younger sister, his village people. He’d inquired about Kai’s village, asking if everyone was safe, healthy, and Kai realized Lay was the kind of young man to think and feel for everybody. It surprised him to find someone who had thoughts that were so selfless in a world where selfish meant survival, and he found himself simultaneously worried for him and wanting to be influenced by him.

 

So he asked Lay how he was feeling, if there was anything he needed that Kai could do for him and Lay had smiled, possibly the brightest smile Kai had ever seen the boy direct at him. It was a smile of unabashed love and approval and Kai would never forget how welcome he felt at the sight of it.

 

“ _I’ve got all I need right here_ ,” Lay had replied, tapping the side of his head, _“The nature of my power makes it work in a thousand different ways that others won’t. That’s why I use it to help people as much as I can. And while I don’t know the exact science behind it, I do know my power is like a battery – it can be recharged again. Remember that, and I will keep you safe forever.”_

 

 

 

“I have no clue how, but he knew I would know what to do,” Kai says now, as adamant as he can be in the uncertainty of the situation. He glances up at Sehun, at the new tears brimming in his eyes, “I’m _telling_ you, I know what to do.”

 

Looks pass between their brotherhood, all uncertain, all hopeful, all trusting, until Luhan shifts closer and touches Sehun’s hands.

 

“We should lie him down.”

 

Sehun hesitates, but Kai slides his hands around the back of Lay’s head, “I’ve got him.”

 

Together Sehun, Luhan, Kai and Xiumin gently lift and lower Lay’s body to the ground, as respectfully and lovingly as they can manage. Once he’s settled, Luhan slides his hands around Lay’s wrists, thumbs over the main arteries inside them and closes his eyes.

 

Kai watches as his face furrows in concentration and Xiumin gently talks him through it, instructing and encouraging, keeping his breathing in check. Kai drops his head to Lay’s heart and closes his hand over his open ear, trying to listen for it. He can barely hear it but he feels the shift in Lay’s body as dormant veins and arteries inflate once again with use. If he listens hard enough, he can almost make out the sound of blood thinning out and shifting.

 

Luhan opens his eyes and nods.

 

“Good,” Kai sits up and motions to Chen, “You’re up.”

 

Chen looks a little unsure, but he kneels next to him regardless, “What do you need me to do?”

 

“He needs a jump-start,” Kai says, taking Chen’s hands and placing one on Lay’s heart and one on his head, “What you need to do is start his heart again and stimulate his brain.”

 

Chen lowers his voice worriedly, “I’m not sure that’s how it works, Kai.”

 

“You’re right, it’s not how it works. But we’re not the norm,” He replies, imploringly, “I need you to start him up again. You’re the only one who can.”

 

Chen hesitates, “…So I’m zapping him?”

 

Kai nods, “You’re zapping him.”

 

“You realize I could very well fry his insides.”

 

“I know you won’t.”

 

Chen exhales loudly, gearing himself up, “If you’re not praying right now, now’s a good time to start.”

 

Kai observes Chen closely as he sits back and closes his eyes, trying to sense the nearest source of lightning in their new world. A large bang erupts from above, and Kai glances up as the sun and bright blue sky suddenly grows dark behind grey clouds. It’s quite the impressive sight, and it’s something they haven’t seen him do before. Kai didn’t even realize his power had become so advanced.

 

“There it is…” Chen murmurs to himself, absorbing what he can into his own body.

 

Kai watches, awe struck, as the veins beneath Chen’s skin light up like millions of fine lightning tendrils. Chen’s breathing is now light and fast and he appears to be struggling in ways he hasn’t before which causes momentary panic around him, but he opens his eyes before Kai can reach out. He looks terribly shocked, like his own power has surprised him and it takes him a while to get focused, but when he is he shifts closer and places one hand over Lay’s heart, the other across the crown of his head.

 

“Luhan,” Chen warns and Luhan rears back, taking his hands away from Lay’s body as quickly as possible.

 

A muscle in Chen’s right temple twitches, and it’s all the warning they get. Lay’s body seizes hard and releases again, unmoving.

 

Chen removes his hands while Luhan replaces his and Kai practically falls onto Lay’s chest, listening out for a heartbeat. He doesn’t find one.

 

“Do it again.”

 

Both Kai and Luhan move away and Chen sends another surge of lightning through their lifeless brother. Kai checks him over, pulling Lay’s shirt aside and putting his ear to his skin. There’s still no difference and he can feel the edges of panic begin to set in.

 

“Again,” He demands, though his brotherhood are all watching with bated breath, hands clasped over their hearts and mouths. Their hopelessness is permeating the air and Kai tries not to let it get to him. He knows that if he doesn’t have hope, no one will.

 

Luhan swaps out for Chen one more time and claps a hand on his back, moving to squeeze his shoulder, “You can do this.”

 

“C’mon hyungnim,” Chen whispers desperately, giving Lay’s hair a brief caress before he places his hands back down.

 

Kai braces himself, knuckles white across his clenched fists as Chen jolts him again. The crack of Chen’s increased power lights a spark beneath Lay’s exposed chest, and it fades to a patch of burned, purpled veins, seared into the skin over his heart. Chen sees the damage he’s inflicted and falls back, horrified. Kai catches a glimpse of the self-blame on his face before he leans in and shuts his eyes, shuts out the grief and concern pouring off his kin and _listens_.

 

 

The following moments are the hardest, weighted with denial and shock. Kai feels his heart rise to his throat and his stomach sink simultaneously and he slumps against Lay’s body, ear still to his chest, unable to sit up, unable to admit defeat. He hears a quiet sob and shifts his eyes just enough to see Sehun pressing his forehead to Lay’s, hands shaking where they cradle his head. Sehun sucks in a loud, shuddering breath and gives an agonized scream. It brings tears to the eyes of everyone around him.

 

Everything blurs around the edges as the sun comes back out, Chen’s power source disappearing back into the ether. Minutes pass and Kai feels numb, hazy as he stares off into the distance. D.O.’s hands land on his back comfortingly, ready to pull him up, and it’s just as his ear is about to lift away that he hears it.

 

 _Thump_.

 

He freezes and shoves a hand at D.O. to halt him, “W-Wait. _Wait_.”

 

_Thump. Thump._

Kai throws an arm over at Sehun, “ _Shhhhh_. I hear something.”

 

D.O. asks, “What?”

 

“Shhhhh,” Kai hushes, ears honed. _Come on_ , _hyung,_ he thinks. _Tell me it wasn’t a fluke._

His answer turns out to be the most miraculous thing he’s ever heard.

 

_Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump._

Kai gusts a long held sigh, his lashes finally spilling his own tears as they shutter closed.

 

He pulls himself up, feeling drained and stretched apart, and everybody’s attention is on him when he locks eyes with Sehun. The tears keep coming.

 

He reaches over and nudges at Lay’s eyelid with his thumb. The broken capillaries are repairing themselves and receding slowly but surely before his very eyes, just like magic, just like the miracle his healer brother already is. He leans down and plants a gentle kiss to Lay’s brow, sighing deeply.

 

He murmurs to Sehun, “You need to hear it for yourself.”

 

Sehun hesitates, almost too paralyzed by his grief to understand the situation, but he shifts and lowers his ear to Lay’s chest. He takes several long moments to absorb what’s going on, perhaps confirming and reconfirming what he’s listening to until he’s crying silently and helplessly out of abundant relief. Xiumin presses his fingertips along the main artery in Lay’s wrist and confirms it for the rest of them.

 

“His heart is beating,” he says, numbly, disbelievingly, unable to comprehend but _so_ willing to, “He has a pulse.”

 

Luhan sits back with his hands held tentatively in the air, just as shocked, “And it’s not me.”

 

“Jackets,” Kai says, shrugging out of his coat and tucking it around Lay’s legs, “We’ve got to get him warm.”

 

His brothers begin to remove their outer layers and instead of simply passing them forward, they each take the care to fit their offered clothing meticulously around their recovering brother. It’s upon Chanyeol folding his jacket over his chest that Lay takes his first new breath as his internal organs heal and begin to work again one by one. It brings them all to a standstill as they watch him inhale and exhale, all holding their own breath like the faintest movement could disrupt it. Kai falls tiredly onto his butt, overwhelmed in his emotions.

 

“Luhan, Chen,” he says, throwing them both a weak thumbs up, “You did it. I knew you would.”

 

Luhan huffs a teary laugh and Xiumin catches him, wraps around him when he falls back into his arms. Chen sits with his knees pulled to his chest, hands in his hair, clearly still worried about the damage his power has caused.

 

“I thought I’d… _God_ , I thought I’d----”

 

Kai reaches over and drops a heavy hand on Chen’s knee, “You _saved_ him, Chen.”

 

“No,” Chen argues, “ _You_ did. How did you know what to do?”

 

The adrenaline he’d been barely holding down finally begins to taper off and it leaves him utterly exhausted. He’s almost delirious, his brain still playing catch up while his emotions attempt to level out.

 

“Honestly, I didn’t,” Kai admits, “It’s just something Linka mentioned once. How a certain extent of our brains stay alive for up to five days.”

 

“The Last Impasse,” Chen nods.

 

Kai nods back, “And Lay’s power is hidden in his brain. I just figured…y’know, _zap_ him…”

 

“Our fearless leader, ladies and gentlemen,” Luhan smirks.

 

Chen laughs, “Well, thank god for you. It worked. Thank you.”

 

“Thank you for trusting me,” Kai replies with a smile, patting D.O.’s hand when the boy slides an arm around his neck. He looks up at each of his brothers, “ _All_ of you.”

 

Chanyeol shakes his head and slaps his palm against Kai’s, “Thank _you_. You saved us.”

 

Now that their sorrows have subsided, Kai takes a moment to see the absolute gratitude and relief on each of their faces, directed purely at him. He almost blushes. He knows there’s definitely no way he’s shaking off the leadership role now and the responsibility feels fresh and heavy on his shoulders. But he looks at his brothers, sees the camaraderie and solidly growing trust and knows he’ll do all he can to keep them safe, leader or not.

 

He squeezes Sehun’s hand, where it rests protectively over Lay’s heart.

 

“Now we wait,” he says.

 

 

 

 

 

The sky grows dark with night and the brothers weave their jackets together to carry Lay to the shelter of the large tree they see in the distance, ready to make camp for the night.

 

Once Lay is situated and comfortable again, the others find their own resting spots. Chanyeol produces a fire to keep them warm, while Baekhyun and Tao climb the tree, knocking what fruit they can find to the ground for the group to eat. Xiumin cuts through the tough outer skin with his pocketknife to see what it is and sniffs.

 

“Looks like its green, and soft,” he says. His knife hits something solid when he tries to slice through, “Big seed though.”

 

He passes it on to Luhan who also investigates it, “Poisonous?”

 

“Don’t think so,” Xiumin replies only after he puts his tongue to the green flesh and doesn’t appear to be worried. He bites into it and chews, “It’s edible.”

 

That green fruit turns out to be their first meal on Earth. Kai’s mind is still blown that they managed to get here in the first place. He observes his brothers in their new environment as they each breathe deeper and easier than they have in years, unable to tear their eyes away from the starlit sky. The sounds of nighttime insects make them jump every now and then. Their planet’s insect population had died out not long before Kai had manifested. To hear them now feels strange.

 

“Cicadas,” Suho breathes, lips stretching into a smile, “I haven’t heard them in years.”

 

“This place is insane,” Baekhyun surmises, but not unhappily as he folds his arms and leans back against the tree, “It’s going to take some getting used to.”

 

“I wish everyone could see this,” Tao says quietly, solemnly, “Our parents.”

 

Kai has to take a moment to settle down after that, images coming to mind that he’d rather never see again. He clears his throat and meanders over to where Sehun sits, keeping vigil over Lay’s body.

 

He lowers himself to the grass, “He looks better.”

 

Sehun has Lay’s head rested in the dip of his folded legs, and his hands lie flat on Lay’s chest under Chanyeol’s jacket, where they’ve been monitoring his breathing for the past two hours.

 

“He’s warm too,” Sehun replies, offering Kai a soft smile.

 

Kai smiles back, observing the change in their youngest. Sehun looks weathered, rough around the edges where the trauma of the last twenty-four hours has battered him. But it’s also the most serene Kai has seen him in months, sitting there, feeling Lay’s life beneath his palms. Kai can sense just how full and heavy with thoughts his head must be, and takes it upon himself to offer council.

 

“What are you thinking about?” he asks.

 

Sehun appears immediately unsure of how he’s going to respond, but the expression on Kai’s face must soothe him somewhat, judging by the way he relaxes once again.

 

“I had a lot of time to think about all the things I’d never be able to say to him,” he says slowly, measuring his words, his attention on Lay’s moonlit face, “…and now I have all this time to think about all the things I _can_ say to him.”

 

Kai senses the underlining context of what Sehun _isn’t_ explaining and understands, biting his lip to stop his smile. He hasn’t seen someone fall in love in quite some time. The thought is a pleasant one.

 

“Don’t laugh.”

 

“I’m not laughing,” Kai answers him, breaking out into a grin.

 

Sehun rolls his eyes but flashes a smirk, and Kai’s ensuing hit on the shoulder turns into a supportive pat.

 

“What would Lay say?” he muses, squeezing comfortingly at Sehun’s collar, “He’d say: _You’re overthinking it_.”

 

Sehun nods and gives a brief laugh, moving a hand to brush at Lay’s hair, “Yup.”

 

“He’d say: _Sehunnie, you’re an idiot_.”

 

Sehun laughs again and Kai joins in, the first measure of enjoyment they’ve had since they arrived. Kai’s laugh eventually fades away, and after a few moments he becomes serious once more.

 

“If Lay does it again…saves me at the expense of himself like that,” Kai says, “Stop him. Do everything you can. Drag him away kicking and screaming if you have to, but don’t let him.”

 

“I can’t do that,” Sehun replies, his soft smile sad and knowing, “It’s not in his nature. And he’d never forgive himself. And we need our leader with us.”

 

Kai scratches his head, “Aish, _that_ again…”

 

“Well, I’m not wrong,” Sehun continues, “You wonder why we look to you so much. It’s because you think differently. We all freeze in a panic when something bad happens while you just gear up to another level of badass. You want to keep us safe, right?”

 

“Of course I do----”

 

“Following you will keep us safe,” Sehun tells him, seemingly adamant, “We trust you. We trust your word. What you say, we will do. I know you don’t want the responsibility and I know you’re gonna have a cry about buts and what ifs and blah you’re too young, but you haven’t seen yourself these past few months - these past few _days_.”

 

He thinks over all they’ve endured in the last several hours and doesn’t know how they managed it. Their hopes, dashed and completely destroyed over and over again while new unthinkable trauma and chaos attacked them from all angles. He figures he’s going to have to hash it out sometime soon, to understand what went wrong, what went right and how he can improve for next time, if not simply just for the closure.

 

“You were amazing,” Sehun breathes, his voice and gaze reverent, “You kept us together, you kept us safe, you did everything we couldn’t think to do exactly as you needed to do it. There is no one better qualified to lead us.”

 

“Look at _you_ sounding all smart and stuff,” Kai snarks good-naturedly, feeling a little sheepish at the unabashed trust and flattery being thrown at him, “What if I don’t want to? What if I just want to be one of the working parts?”

 

“Have you seen the way we work?” Sehun huffs, “Our working parts only work when you’re the one driving. Imagine _Tao_ leading the charge. We’d have blinged-out uniforms and fuckin’ weird haircuts.”

 

Kai snorts against his will, feeling immediately bad for doing so, though he joins in when Sehun starts cackling and shoving at him. They laugh and talk a little while longer in ways they haven’t been able to in months and it feels nice, freeing. Eventually the night air grows quiet and they notice the rest of their kin have begun to bed down for sleep.

 

“You should get some rest,” Kai says, “It’s been a long day. You look exhausted.”

 

“Don’t think I could,” Sehun replies tiredly, looking over Lay once again.

 

“Sleep,” Kai gets to his feet with a bit of effort, his tired body making itself known, “As your leader, I _order_ it.”

 

Sehun swipes at Kai’s leg and misses by a mere inch when he leaps out of the way, “Don’t start with that crap!”

 

Kai grins, “Seriously though, we have another big day ahead of us. And he’ll be out of it for a while. I promise to wake you up if he stirs.”

 

He sees Sehun attempt to stifle the yawn he releases and knows he’s won this round. Their youngest glares up at him, like Kai’s suggestion of sleep has forced his exhaustion, and he rolls his eyes before he gently lifts Lay’s head from his lap and stuffs his own jacket under his neck. He stretches out beside him, fitting the fingers of one hand inside the shirt cuff at Lay’s wrist, needing contact of some kind and Kai turns away to leave them be, halting in his steps when Sehun’s other hand suddenly grabs his wrist.

 

“Thank you, hyung,” Sehun murmurs, “For everything.”

 

 _Hyung_. It’s a word Sehun hasn’t used on any of them, having always been the kind to ignore formalities to avoid being lumped with the inferiority of being the youngest. Kai swallows hard and clears his throat to cover up how truly touched he is by the sentiment. He knows Sehun is saying it now because he believes Kai has earned it.

 

He and Sehun squeeze each other’s hands, “Any time, Sehun-ah.”

 

 

 

 

Kai gets comfortable against the tree where he has everyone in his line of sight and closes his eyes. He’s still on edge, still unable to completely relax and he doesn’t want to leave their group defenseless, so he forfeits his own slumber in place of meditation. He lets himself fall under, concentrating on breathing and restoring some semblance of balance in his head. He understands they’re safer on Earth, but he also knows their new planet is not without its dangers. He and his brotherhood are alien here, a form far different to the Earth Inhabitants they learned only bits and pieces of. To be exposed to them could cause unfathomable disaster.

 

He zones out for minutes, possibly hours, getting used to hearing Earth’s nocturnal insects, the night breeze as it bristles their shelter. Noises come to him in tiny threads; once he deems them harmless, he lets them pass by.

 

He hears the rustle of clothing further away and waits for any other telltale signs. Eventually its followed by the interment stops and starts of grass slowly parting for wandering feet and Kai opens his eyes, knowing one of his brothers is awake. As his vision adjusts, he sees him at a standstill, face raised to the Earth’s only moon. Kai’s heart skips a beat when he recognizes the stance and shape of the silhouette beyond and he gets to his feet, staggers over.

 

It’s when he’s a few meters away that Lay turns to greet him. A moment passes between the two, heavy with questions and curiosity and immense relief and when Lay opens his arms, Kai only pauses for a second before he closes the gap and embraces him hard.

 

He tries valiantly to blink back the tears but he loses a few in the effort, reveling in the fact that Lay is alive and warm and solid against him, comforting him as though it was Kai who went through the trauma of death.

 

Kai soaks it in as much as he can, trying to catch his breath on Lay’s shoulder before he remembers Sehun and pulls away, wiping at his face with his fingers.

 

“Sehun…I should wake----”

 

“Let him rest,” Lay stops him, pulling him forward again. He makes his own effort to wipe Kai’s face down and Kai laughs sheepishly, then smiles happily, so incredibly relieved that he has the chance to experience his brother’s almost motherly tendencies once again. He realizes eventually that Lay is checking him over, hands and eyes fitting and tracing his body for signs of things that shouldn’t be, “Are you okay?”

 

“I’m okay,” Kai laughs, rubbing Lay’s shoulders, unable to take his hands off him, “Are _you_ okay?”

 

“Better than,” Lay smiles serenely, gesturing at the universe above their heads, “I think it’s Earth. Do you feel different like I do?”

 

Kai gazes upon him with a mixture of love and awe, “What do you mean?”

 

“I felt stronger, as soon as we got here. Though I didn’t have time to think much about it,” Lay says, looking to Kai with a strangely haunted haze in his eyes, “You weren’t doing so well.”

 

“What happened?” He asks, “Everything’s been so crazy that we haven’t had a chance to go over the details.”

 

“I believe you would have died, had you used that kind of power back home,” Lay nods to himself, “Your injuries were severe, Kai. Your brain was fried, your heart was hanging on by a thread, your other internal organs were practically liquefied…traveling that distance destroyed you. You were so far beyond fixing but I couldn’t _not_ try and by some miracle I wasn’t just able to heal you, but I did it much faster than I thought possible. And I think it’s the atmosphere here. I think Earth is strengthening our abilities.”

 

Kai reminds himself of Chen’s impressive show of power and how he was almost knocked down by its force as he attempted to absorb it into his own body. He also remembers his dream, how Lay seemingly communicated with him through his subconscious.

 

“That dream,” he says, “Was that your doing?”

 

Lay’s brow dips, “Dream?”

 

“You were telling me I had to come back, that I was the only one who knew what to do,” Kai replies, “It woke me up.”

 

Lay appears thoughtful for several moments, weighing that information, “I think that was what went through my head before I...y’know…” he looks up at Kai uneasily, “My last thought was that you would know what to do.”

 

“Well…I’m almost positive that _your_ final thought ended up in _my_ head,” Kai says, and they both take some time to let that incredible concept sink in, “You said our powers might get stronger here…what if they start evolving too?”

 

Lay nods slowly, “It’s possible. Either that, or it was a side effect of how deep I had to connect to heal you. We won’t know until it happens again.”

 

“Let’s _not_ do that again,” Kai says and Lay laughs softly. He’s still finding it miraculous that he has another chance to see his brother smile, let alone have him up and about, “Are you really okay?”

 

“I’ve never felt better,” Lay grins, looking out across the landscape, “Everything is so quiet here. Peaceful. This planet isn’t perfect, but it’s working so much better than ours ever was. The humans are a much happier race. I can feel them.” Kai feels momentarily stricken at that, “I think we’ll be okay here.”

 

They suddenly both hear a shift in the grass behind them and turn to investigate. Sehun stands meters away, having woken without Lay near him. He appears far more hesitant than Kai has ever seen him and he looks as if he’s ready to start confessing everything he’s been thinking to Lay right then and there, so Kai gives his healer brother’s arm a squeeze and shares with him one last smile before he takes his leave.

 

He finds his way back to the tree and sits down against it, noticing now the sky has begun to lighten up on the horizon. He takes a deep, easy breath, the first he’s had since he woke on Earth and his muscles finally begin to unwind. With Lay and Sehun awake, he decides it’s safe enough for him to get some sleep and his closes his eyes to the silhouettes of his two brothers embracing lovingly in the distance.

 

 

 

 

In the morning, everybody is marveling at Lay’s recovery, each taking their time to confirm to themselves that he’s okay, that everything is okay, that they’ll _all_ be okay. He sits at the center of them, soaking in their happiness and the warm morning rays of Earth’s sun and everybody is laughing and smiling at Lay’s genuine joy. Earth’s atmosphere is clearly having a positive effect not only on his health, but on his empathic abilities.

 

Kai observes him closely, watching for signs that not all is as it seems. He notices that Lay’s senses are more intense. Whatever doubts or worries he’s carrying quietly in the back of his mind, Lay sees them like he’s wearing a neon sign around his neck and tells him to knock it off with a chastising lift of an eyebrow. He also takes Tao’s hand quietly as he answers one of Suho’s questions, pausing to give him a knowing look as if he’s talking to him telepathically. Tao responds by resting his head on his shoulder and curling his arms around Lay’s bicep, obviously feeling a little better.

 

Kai catches Sehun glaring at Tao and taking possession of Lay’s other arm, and Lay gives _him_ a knowing look that has Sehun blushing and hiding his eyes. Kai’s suspicious but not in a bad way, and he bites down on his fingernails to stop himself from blurting out something cheeky and inappropriate. It’s painfully obvious what’s going on and Kai can feel a part of himself sighing happily for them.

 

It’s when Suho starts asking questions about Kai’s miraculous recovery, his apparent telepathic dream and Lay’s resurrection that Lay looks to him, giving him the opportunity to decide whether it’s the right time to explain their theories to the group.

 

“Lay thinks Earth’s atmosphere is enhancing our abilities,” Kai answers to the shock of his kin, “He feels stronger here, and he believes without a doubt that I wouldn’t be here right now if Earth hadn’t affected him in some way.”

 

“Really?” Chen asks, “I mean, is that possible? Because my power did not work the same way yesterday as it usually does.”

 

“I noticed it too,” Luhan joins in, “I usually can’t move things without seeing them, but I managed to tap into Lay’s blood like it was almost natural.”

 

“What about the dream you had?” Chanyeol asks him, glancing over at Lay, “What was that about?”

 

“Kai and I were connected for an extended period of time, so it could have been a residual effect. Or,” Lay answers, nodding at Kai, “there’s the possibility that our powers could extend beyond our previous limits. We’ll only know as they develop. _If_ they develop.”

 

Baekhyun suddenly claps his hands together and points at Lay’s shirt, “So, is this why Chen almost fried you?”

 

Chen immediately appears troubled and Chanyeol tuts and grabs Baekhyun in a headlock, “Dude, insensitive much?”

 

“I don’t mean it like _that_ ,” Baekhyun struggles against Chanyeol, stretching his arm out to touch Chen’s knee, “I didn’t mean it like that, Chen-ah. But it was fifty-fifty, right? Being on Earth gave him enough power to bring Lay back to life, but that power nearly blew a hole through his chest. Is this enhancement you’re talking about gonna be a good thing?”

 

“Time will tell,” Kai answers, effectively ending the discussion, “Either way we have to be careful. Power usage of any kind needs to be on the down-low. We can’t bring attention to ourselves. We’re not entirely sure how this world works yet. If Earth’s humans learn what we can do, we could be in trouble.”

 

 _Earth could have it’s very own World King_ , Kai thinks bitterly.

 

Lay’s pulling on his shirt to get a look at what the fuss is about and Chen reaches over to stop him, holding his wrist still, “Don’t, hyungnim.”

 

The healer stares into Chen’s eyes for a few moments, getting a feel for the turmoil his brother is trying to hide and waits until he gives in and lets him go. Chen retreats and Suho throws a comforting arm around him while Lay runs his fingers over the patch of black veins covering his heart, mesmerized.

 

“It happened while Chen was trying to bring you back,” Xiumin explains, nodding at their brother in question, “He did everything he was supposed to. He’s one of the main reasons you’re back with us.”

 

Lay’s smiling softly as he traces the veins with a fingertip. When he looks up, he grins at everybody, “They’re awesome.”

 

Chen gives a shaky sigh, visibly upset, “I’m sorry, hyungnim.”

 

“Don’t be,” Lay tells him earnestly, tapping on his skin with a happy shrug, “I get to carry a part of you with me for the rest of my life. There is nothing to be sorry for.”

 

Kai catches Sehun’s eyes lifting to the sky, exasperated at all the attention Lay is giving everybody else and he really can’t hold himself back.

 

“ _Jeez_ , Sehun-ah, you keep sassing everybody like that and your _eyes will fall out_.”

 

It does the trick – everybody erupts into roars of laughter, clearly all having been thinking the same thing and Sehun looks like he wants to rip his head off which only makes him laugh harder. Lay scruffs up Sehun’s hair and laughs too, and their youngest can’t hold the stubbornness on his face for long before he’s visibly melting under Lay’s happiness.

 

 

 

It’s decided that they need to find a place to stay, so Kai takes it upon himself to travel to the nearest settlement. He’s anxious about letting his brothers out of his sight, so Xiumin suggests Chen will send a signal in the sky in the highly unlikely situation that something goes awry. Satisfied, Kai starts teleporting.

 

He travels as far as his eyes can see, snapping in and out along the hot country road. His power feels inherently different; faster, more natural. The landscape feels familiar, as if he doesn’t have to think too hard about where he’s going. That in itself is dangerous as he could inadvertently teleport into a group of humans and cause a scene. So he focuses on the land, teleports bits at a time until he sees a village up ahead. He removes his coat and tugs on his shirt, the heat almost stifling as he crosses the rest of the distance on foot.

 

When he arrives, he takes his time wandering through the streets. He pauses mid-stride when he lays eyes on his first human, nervous and unsure of what to do. It’s not sure what he expected from a human, but she looks no different to the people of his world. He watches nervously, waiting for her to act in a way that will separate them but she continues about her business like he’s not there. So he moves on, attempting to slide into the growing market crowd unnoticed.

 

He glances around at his surroundings, takes in the height of the buildings above him and the obstacles before him. There’s rickety scaffolding further along to his right with fearless men standing up there washing windows, and there’s a couple of older women having a passionate conversation to his left, their voices nasally and boastful.

 

Xiumin had suggested looking for abandoned buildings and areas with low traffic, but as he observes the number of townspeople and the way they interact, they all seem dangerously close-knit. Trying to hide eleven newcomers in such a place is going to be impossible.

 

He also realizes that apparently he’s not as stealthy and unnoticeable as he’d hoped. He’s turning heads left and right despite trying to keep his head down and he hears whispers, though he can’t make out what they’re saying. The language is different, blurry in his ears and his immediate reflex is to concentrate harder on the words, the breaks in sentences and tones. There’s a push, like a wall bending in his mind…and then it _snaps_.

 

 _Handsome._ Kai shakes his head, incredulous as the words start to come in. _Cute. Tall. Idol. Butt._ He looks in the directions they come from and sees girls giggling behind their hands in front of jewelry stalls and women appraising him as they buy slabs of meat. They don’t seem to be scared of him, or suspicious of him…they appear to be _objectifying_ him.

 

He’s scratching at the back of his head bashfully, trying to hide behind the elderly woman walking in front when he hears a shout from above. He looks up, just as one of the scaffolding planks falls free and hurtles towards him – or closer yet, the elderly woman in front of him – and he doesn’t think twice as he throws his arms around her and twists them both out of range.

 

The plank lands hard, kicking up dust and there’s a unified gasp from the nearby crowd. The workmen above start shouting about new equipment and calling down their apologies, while the elderly woman in Kai’s arms glances over her shoulder to get a look at him. She glares at the watching bystanders until they return to task and immediately shrugs out of Kai’s grip, dusting off her jacket.

 

“Are you okay?” Kai blurts, the words tasting new in his mouth.

 

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she grumbles back, all but beating the dust out of the apron she’s wearing. Kai doesn’t have enough time to process that he’s actually conversing with her in her own language before she’s picking up her handbag and giving him the side-eye, “ _Are you okay?_ Is that all? Where are your honorifics?”

 

“H-Honorifics?” Kai stammers, absolutely flabbergasted, “Uh…Are you okay, ma’am?”

 

“Aigoooo,” she tuts, nodding her chin at him even as she begins to wander off, “Kids these days…”

 

Kai huffs incredulously at what he understands are her assumptions of him, attempting to process her attitude, attempting to process the situation, really trying to process _anything_ at this point.

 

“It’s generally custom to thank a person for saving your life,” Kai answers, and she turns to raise an eyebrow at him, “With utmost sincerity. Humans do that, right?”

 

She pauses for a beat, “ _Aigoooooo_. What do you want, a _medal?_ ”

 

Kai is trying not to gape at her rudeness and chooses instead to work the conversation to his advantage.

 

“No medal, just information,” he says, appealing for help, though he doesn’t exactly like his chances, “Are there any abandoned buildings around here?”

 

“That’s a strange question. Why do you ask?”

 

“I need a place to stay,” he’s honest, and he regrets it almost immediately when he sees the answer leaves the woman conflicted – suspicious.

 

“Are you a runaway?”

 

Kai shifts nervously but nods. She’s not wrong, “…You could say that.”

 

“Good looking boy like you, wearing those clothes, can’t see what you should be running away from,” she muses, gesturing at him. He glances down at his boots, his fitted black jeans, his grey long-sleeved t-shirt, his tailored coat scrunched in his hand – his casual palace attire, “Your parents must be worried.”

 

“I…” Kai swallows, his words suddenly caught in his throat. He sees her, watching him watching her back, and his expression must speak to her in some way because she is waiting for an explanation, this time patiently so, “…I have none.”

 

She nods slowly after a pause, eyes trailing the ground for a moment before she starts walking again, “Come on then.”

 

“What?”

 

“ _Come on then_ ,” she barks over her shoulder, “But if you’re staying under my roof, you better fix those manners of yours!”

 

Kai panics momentarily, excited and incredulous at this surprising turn of events – this strange human being – but he’s ultimately worried about becoming entangled where they don’t belong. She seems to regard him as just another rude youth, which isn’t too alarming and he thinks maybe it could work for them if only for the night. But there’s more where he came from, and he knows she couldn’t possibly be willing to let eleven young men into her home.

 

He blurts it out anyway, “Uh, ma’am?”

 

“What?”

 

“I have brothers with me,” he says, “Ten of them.”

 

She’s stunned as expected, but he can see the wheels turning in her head and he begins to hope, “Are they strong like you?”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

She nods slowly again, continues walking, “I’ll allow it. Though it won’t come free!”

 

Kai balks, “ _Seriously?_ ”

 

With the various smells of produce and street food all around him, his stomach gives him a rather noisy, painful reminder that it’s been neglected long enough and he can feel himself cringing when she stops to glare at him.

 

“I bet they’re all hungry like you too, huh?” She says with a heavy sigh, shoulders drooping like she’s been handed a large burden, “ _Aigooooooooo_ …heaven is going to owe me.”

 

Kai stares at her in total, utter, _paralyzing_ disbelief and wonders who is crazier, her or himself and she’s looking at him like she’s thinking the exact same thing. Regardless, she closes her eyes, nods her head in the direction they’re going and tells him to offer his arm to help her walk, informing him that it’s the polite thing to do when in the presence of a lady. Kai does so, and she takes it, and he realizes just how old and frail she really is now that he’s up close. She catches him staring – he smiles, she scowls – and already he’s putting aside a small piece of his heart for this strange, incredible human, ready to scribe her name on it.

 

 

 

She owns a substantial fruit and vegetable stall at the end of the market zone and she instructs him to go and get his brothers so that they can help her dismantle and transport it home. He takes off with a quick bow and a _yes ma’am_ before she has the chance to regret her decision, and she rolls her eyes at his formal speech, telling him to _just hurry up_. As soon as he’s out of the village bounds, he checks, double checks, then triple checks he’s out of range before he teleports back to his kin.

 

His emotions take another turn, however, when he returns to the marketplace with his brothers in tow. He’s not sure what they must look like, but the girls appraising him earlier are now taking pictures. It worries him, that these people are already getting permanent proof of their existence among them and he suggests they keep to themselves, even as Baekhyun grins and gives one of the girls a cute wink that sends her off squealing. Xiumin, who is taking the rear, grabs him by the back of the neck and pushes him on, chastising him.

 

Kai warns them all to be polite as can be when addressing their new host, though it completely backfires when Lay introduces himself with a bow, takes her hand in his and calls her _Grandmother_. She’s delighted, practically cooing at him and the others quickly follow Lay’s example, all being welcomed with open arms until Kai is the only one she’s grumpy with.

 

“ _You_ can call me Ms. Jang,” she tells him personally, scrunching her nose up at him. He sighs, admitting defeat, though it doesn’t stop him from rearing his hand back threateningly at Tao when he snickers and points, unapologetically, at his dismay.

 

After they’ve packed down her stall and carried it to her van, they all pile into the back and squash in for the ride to her house. Baekhyun, Chen and Luhan are sitting on laps to enable everyone to fit alongside the produce, while Kai and Lay sit in the front. Lay gets the coveted seat beside Ms. Jang at her request.

 

The drive takes a while, twenty minutes out of the city center into farmland and when they arrive in a village of small clustered houses, they all climb out, stretching the discomfort out of their limbs.

 

Ms. Jang hobbles around the van, “It’s not much, and you’ll all have to squeeze in the same room, but it’s better than a cold abandoned building.”

 

Kai stares out at Ms. Jang’s humble house, built from wood, earth and stone. It’s like a mansion in comparison to where he was born but he sees the private well, the stone fireplace and outdoor resting bench. Everything has it’s own space and purpose and it reminds him so much of home that he feels choked up.

 

“It’s beautiful, Ms. Jang,” he replies softly.

 

She sees he’s struggling with something and puts a hand on his arm to direct him back to the van, “I’ll organize some food for you. Bring that stuff in. And don’t break anything.”

 

“Yes, Grandmother,” Baekhyun and Tao chime in obedient union, practically giddy as they each grab a box of fruit and take it toward the house. Lay preciously escorts Ms. Jang inside.

 

Xiumin moves to stand next to him, “How long are we staying?”

 

“I don’t know,” he says, “Overnight. We can’t impose on her for too long. We need to leave before----” He watches Baekhyun run his box around Ms. Jang, giving her a fright, “Baekhyun gives her a _freakin’ heart attack_. Hey! Watch yourself!”

 

“ _Sorry seonjang!”_ he hears Baekhyun calling back.

 

Kai sighs, “We need to find somewhere more permanent. Somewhere away from the humans. Somewhere we can grow old and die and take the DNA of our species with us.”

 

He’s struggling, struggling to see what sort of life they can actually live here. Facing inevitable death on Exo Planet, Kai had done all he could to get them to safety, with no questions and no regrets. Having arrived on Earth, however, he’s responsible not only for the group’s collective safety, but their lives.

 

Jin had told him, _live the life you should have always had_. As far as Kai is concerned, the life he should have had was a bleak one. If he were still in his home village and the prophecy had remained a simple bedtime story, he’d have died a few times over by now; at the hand of illness, disease, malnourishment or animal attack. He should have had a humble death, surrounded by the love of his parents.

 

Being here, now, threw him for a loop. They’d survived, yes, they’d found lodging for the night, yes. What was the next obstacle going to be?

 

The uncertainty of his future and the future of his kin has him worried. He doesn’t know what they should be aiming for. What kind of life can they possibly have here if they must live like they don’t exist?

 

His heart feels heavy with new burden. Xiumin is looking to him, trying to read him but Kai can’t bring himself to say the words, not after everything they’ve been through.

 

But he can’t stop himself from thinking it.

 

_We should have died with the rest of our planet._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. The Sicarii

 

 

All Sicarii-born children are brought into creation anonymously through ritualistic mating. They are not born to parents, they are born to their creed – raised by the Elders and molded by their fellow kin for the purpose of protecting Mankind against outside threats.  
  
Taemin, however, is the exception.

 

He learns of his father when he is four years old, purely because of the legacy he left behind. The most skilled Sicarii warrior of the last century, Ryong-Chul was known for having notched the most kills. The Sicarii journals throughout history have chronicled the arrival and death of sixteen individual Artifacts to ever appear on earth – and it was Ryong-Chul who laid waste to four of them before his twenty fifth year. He died killing one more, saving his faction from slaughter in the process.

 

While other boys are bolstering themselves to take the crown as the best Sicarii warrior of all time, as Ryong-Chul’s heir it is Taemin who gets the spotlight as the next possible hero. And it only makes him a target.

 

Those around him are a constant reminder of where he came from and the kind of shoes he was made to fill. His future is set the day he is born – to hold up the creed of his people to the same impressive standard as his father once had, or die trying. Great things are expected of him, all based on his bloodline. It is his own personal curse, handed to him by a man he will never meet.

 

Because of his father, Taemin grows up under the suspicious, envious and doubtful glares of children around his own age, all betting, hoping and believing he won’t amount to much. He takes to raising himself under the strict laws of his people, trying to stay under the radar, trying not to provoke their hate. He understands early on that it is survival of the fittest; those who are chosen go into battle when called upon, those who don’t will never make it out of training alive.

 

He is taught that his emotions will be his biggest weakness in the thick of danger, and is made to hone them by emotive encouragement – if he feels scared, he is made to face the source of his anxiety; if he feels sad, he is made to acknowledge his feelings and move on. He’s only six years old when his anxiety, his sadness and his natural instinct to be distracted or paralyzed by emotion are completely drilled out of him.

 

The years pass by, but the whispers among his teachers remain the same. He makes progress, but he’s still a disappointment, still subpar, still barely meets the minimal requirement to pass his numerous tests. They are building assassins to answer the call of duty should it ever come – the only force between humankind and any otherworldly intruders that may put them in danger. And apparently he’s not impressing anybody.

 

Every boy around him has something to say. _You’re pathetic. You’re a joke. You’ll never get anywhere._ _You look like a girl._ They, too, say it with their fists. He gets kicked, punched, has his hair pulled, his cheeks pinched. One particular beating leaves him with sore ribs for weeks, while another leaves his wrist so fragile that he breaks it himself training with a wooden katana. He knows making a fuss about it won’t change a thing, won’t help his chances, will only ever make him _Ryong-Chul’s pathetic son_. Telling an adult about the cruelty he faces on a daily basis simply isn’t the warrior thing to do. His teachers, the Elders never ask why he shows up to lessons looking like a limping bruise. He’s essentially invisible, already blacklisted a complete failure.

 

He’s thirteen years old when he overhears a conversation between two of his older kin, snickering about the _Golden Boy Runt_ , sneering that he’ll never make it, that he’ll die when he’s old enough to be called up to fight in the Parem Bellum against one of his peers, that his father’s blood is wasted on him. But the constant jeering and picking at him over the years has only grown his resentment and strengthened his resolve. Not only does he want out of his father’s shadow, he wants to leave his great legacy withering in the dust. His childhood anger grows and deepens into something frightening, waiting for the right time to unleash.

 

It doesn’t help that he’s trained in combat alongside the other Sicarii children, learning the same techniques, the same battle strategies. It feels like they are trying to quell his talents, trying to stop him from improving even after telling him that he must. They’ve already put him in a box, labeled him cannon fodder and it frustrates him to no end. An Elder stops long enough to see the fire in his eyes and offers to teach Taemin the martial art of Hapkido, of which his father had specialized. Taemin refuses, wanting nothing to do with his father and takes to the library hall in search of reference books, adamant on finding a fighting style that will suit his own body.

 

He’s fast and wiry, one advantage he _does_ have, so when he comes across a small book on the martial art of Silat stashed away in the rear stacks, old and forgotten, he takes it back to his room to devour. The fighting style is customizable in a hundred different ways, great for both high and low attacks, takedowns and throws and absolutely devastating in its damage. Every technique is aimed to destroy, while the other kids are learning ways to disarm. He doesn’t want to be unmatched like his father, beating everyone at the same game. He wants to be unbeatable in a way no one has seen before.

 

When he isn’t attending classes with the others or training himself in Silat, he works his way through every book in the library hall, reading up on the physiology of the human body, pressure points, nerve endings, muscles and arteries. He tests his new knowledge one day during class, hits the boy seated in front of him hard in the side of his neck with one swift punch while the teacher’s back is turned. Taemin watches him collapse unconscious onto his desk with morbid curiosity. No one bats an eye. He’s just the Golden Boy Runt after all.

 

Old Sicarii journals detail past missions, the Artifacts they once came across and the power they possessed, how they took them down. He skips the volumes including his father; he’s heard the stories over the years, enough to drive him mad with inadequacy. He reads books on battle strategy and interrogation methods, trying to prepare himself for all possible scenarios. The Elders are getting them familiar with Plan A – they aren’t teaching them how to survive if Plan A fails. And Taemin has every intention of surviving.

 

As he memorizes and practices every Silat technique in the book, learns how to disengage an opponent from every angle, he gets stronger, faster, his soft body becoming hardened. The day he employs his new fight style for the first time, he gets paired with the boy responsible for his wrist injury. Taemin levels him with a five-tap combo – inner kneecap, outer kneecap, thigh, flank and throat – and knocks him unconscious in under two seconds flat before he has a chance to swing.

 

Retaliation comes later that night when Taemin gets dragged into the greenhouse by a group of the boy’s friends. Ravi, one of his regular tormentors, comes at him with a blade he wasn’t prepared for. Taemin gets slashed shallowly across his upper arm before he catches Ravi’s wrist between his palms and twists himself into his chest, hits him in the head with his elbow and throws him over his shoulder, dislocating his arm in the process. He kicks the next boy inside the kneecap, hard enough to drop him to the ground screaming and has the other keeling over with two punches to the heart and one to the solar plexis, unable to breathe. He walks out of the greenhouse with stinging knuckles and a bleeding arm but his head held high.

 

Word of Taemin’s new attitude spreads throughout his kin, which only causes him more trouble. Over the coming weeks, he finds himself fighting constantly, fending off random attacks between classes. It gives him the much needed practice he’s after, helps him tune up his weakest points and ground his strongest, but more times than not he’s barely escaping intact. He may be fast and he may be using a fight style they aren’t familiar with, but he’s still young, still scrawny, still gets caught on their knees and fists, still finds it hard to fall asleep when his body is throbbing all over.

 

 

 

 

He still spends the majority of his free time in the library. Most of the Sicarii youths stay well away, naïve in their assumption that combat training is all they’ll ever need, but occasionally he’d see the same older boy in the stacks, gently picking through book spines, taking his time to search what he’s looking for.

 

On one particular day their eyes meet. Taemin shifts away, not in the mood to see the disdain aimed at him from yet another face.

 

“Taemin, right?” the boy says, and Taemin turns back to look at him, gauging his reaction.

 

He doesn’t expect to see kind eyes and a small smile with no hidden motives behind them.

 

“I see you around here a lot,” the boy goes on, his voice deep but somehow light and airy, “You like to read?”

 

Taemin doesn’t know how to answer in a way that isn’t going to come out scathing. The boy is being nice after all, but Taemin knows how quickly niceties can turn into ridicule.

 

The boy nods his head at Taemin’s silence anyway and smiles again, “I think its smart. There are so many things these books can teach us that the others aren’t learning.”

 

Taemin glances down at the book the boy is carrying – one of the Sicarii volumes on the Parem Bellum – and feels something in his gut twist uncomfortably. The Parem Bellum was one of the final tests one would go through when they reached the end of their eighteenth year, designed to see if the participants have what it takes to do anything and everything to win at battle. It was what every Sicarii boy spent their life training for; to step in the ring with one of your kin and fight to the death. Those who win are initiated into the Order and move onto the next phase of training. Those who lose are carried out in a body bag.

 

The boy notices what he’s staring at and offers him another smile, though this time it’s somewhat grim, “Yeah…it’s almost time for me. I’m getting announced in a few days.”

 

Taemin learns his name is Onew exactly four days later when the matches for the year’s Parem Bellum are released. Everyone is gathered in the grand hall while the participating boys stand in the ring they will eventually fight in, getting paired off at random. Taemin sees Onew step forward nervously as his name is called, then sees his devastation when it’s confirmed he will be fighting another boy named Sunggyu. Taemin doesn’t know much about either of them, but he can tell they’re friends by the way they both step down into the audience with tears in their eyes.

 

It is two weeks later that Taemin watches Onew kill Sunggyu. The fight itself is short, as Onew spends the majority of it waiting for an opening before he hits his friend hard in the neck and drops him unconscious like a bag of rocks. Taemin’s holding his breath while Onew staggers over to pull his friend up onto his knees, reluctance in every step.

 

The way Onew breaks Sunggyu’s neck from behind and lowers him gently to the ring floor speaks of both his greatest respect and deepest regret. Taemin sees the light dim in his eyes as his kill is confirmed by an Elder and the hall erupts into boisterous cheers. He sees Onew die a little inside, something irrevocably twisted that won’t ever be normal again and he knows this is not something to celebrate, the death of a human. He can’t help feeling relieved that Onew was the one to make it out alive, but he wonders what kind of warrior Onew can possibly be when he’s so out of it that he needs to be carried away.

 

He doesn’t see Onew again for two weeks. He’s not worried – there is no place for worry inside of him – but he keeps track as the days pass and Onew isn’t seen, keeps a mental note of the places the boy usually frequents but doesn’t appear. When he finally comes across the older boy in the back stacks of the library one afternoon, he smiles and greets Taemin like nothing ever happened.

 

 

Taemin is fifteen when a small congregation of shrouded women arrive at the Sicarii temples on the other side of mountain. Onew explains that it’s time for the annual Genesis rituals; that every warrior in their twenty-fifth year is paired off with a Priestess for courtship.

 

“It’s how we came to be,” he tells him, “One day, it’ll be up to us to father the next generation.”

 

Every generation, he learns, is conceived this way. A Priestess and a Sicarii man will meet once to reproduce, and approximately nine months later, baby boys are brought back. Whether they succeed or not in fathering a son, they will never know.

 

Any babies born female are left with their mothers to be groomed into the next generation of Priestesses, who too, will grow up to bear the next generation of Sicarii warriors. Taemin finds the whole concept mildly horrifying, that one day he’ll pass his bloodline onto a child that may consider his ancestry a curse, just like he does.

 

“You’re lucky,” Onew says, “You know who your father is.”

 

Taemin replies dryly, “Yeah, _lucky_.”

 

“The rest of us don’t have that,” Onew continues, “I would give anything to know what sort of man my father is, or was. Whether he’s dead or alive. He could be right under my nose, teaching me everyday and I would never even know.”

 

“I guess it’s good my father is six feet under then,” Taemin replies indifferently, “I have the freedom to hate him all I want.”

 

“Your father was a hero.”

 

“My father is everything that is wrong with my life,” Taemin tells him, “Being his son has done me no favors. Don’t bring him up again.”

 

Onew, to his credit, isn’t offended in the slightest and drops the topic without hesitation, though he lays his gentle hands on Taemin’s shoulders and bends down to his eye level. The touch – so different from all the violence constantly leveled at him – makes him incredibly uncomfortable. The look in his eyes is enough to get Onew to remove them. He’d much prefer the violence. Violence, he understands.

 

“People can only hurt you if you give them permission,” Onew says softly.

 

Taemin knows he means well, knows that it’s a good theory for when it is words that are used as weapons. But he thinks bitterly of the faded scars across his body, the sealed cracks in his bones, the bruises that are still healing. _I never gave my permission. And they do it anyway._

 

 

 

 

Hanging out with Onew in the library becomes a thing. Taemin doesn’t do trust; he simply can’t, not after everything he’s had to fight through, but Onew doesn’t appear to have any hidden agendas and he accepts Taemin’s less-than-stellar attitude for what it is without trying to change him. Ravi’s fists pummeling his face is the closest thing he’s ever had to friendship so Onew’s company puts him on edge more times than not, but the older boy is giving him the time and space to work through it. Taemin isn’t warming to him, but he’s defrosting.

 

Now that Onew is officially part of the Order, it is his job to mentor other Sicarii boys in preparing for their participation in the next Parem Bellum. Taemin learns of Jonghyun, Onew’s first student. He sounds like an absolute psychopath.

 

“He doesn’t think I have anything worth teaching him,” Onew sighs, “He’s unpredictable, doesn’t fight by a pattern. He just brawls. And he _enjoys_ it.”

 

Taemin eventually sees what he means.

 

He’s not at all what Taemin imagined him to be. Jonghyun is shorter than expected but a surprisingly sturdy wall of hard muscle and vibrating energy for an eighteen year old, a complete showman when he goes up against Jaehyo in his own Parem Bellum a month later. As soon as he lands the first punch, he never lets up. There doesn’t seem to be any finesse to Jonghyun’s style, not even a _style_ to his style, but Taemin notices a pattern the longer he watches.

 

Jonghyun is aiming for the vital organs like he is trying to crush them, and it completely incapacitates his opponent. It’s just as the fight is getting uncomfortable to watch that an Elder comes forward and orders him to finish it, and Jonghyun sighs at him like he’s a total buzzkill. He gets behind Jaehyo on the floor, has to hold the boy up because he fell unconscious three minutes ago and he frames him in a headlock, tenses his biceps to seal him in and snaps his neck so hard that Taemin is pretty certain Jaehyo’s skin is the only thing keeping his head on.

 

It sickens him somewhere deep in his gut, but Taemin ignores it. This is what the Parem Bellum is all about. Someday soon, Taemin will be up there fighting for his life and he will have no choice but to win. He sees Jonghyun’s face, the pride in his gaze so different to Onew’s overwhelming post-fight numbness and figures it’s a healthier way to be. He’s a warrior, his future requires that he kill or be killed and it will all be in the service of mankind. He has to be comfortable with it.

 

 

 

He officially meets Jonghyun the next day when Onew introduces the two of them. Jonghyun looks him up and down, searching for something Taemin doesn’t understand. Apparently satisfied with what he sees, Jonghyun smirks at him.

 

“Taemin, you say?”

 

Onew gives an affirmative hum and Jonghyun tilts his head as he stares into his eyes. His gaze is almost black in comparison to his striking silver blonde hair and Taemin meets it without hesitation, knowing he’s being pushed and refusing to back down.

 

“Cute,” Jonghyun huffs a laugh, clearly trying to appear beyond him like the jacked-up jerk Taemin already thinks he is, “I heard you have your mother’s beautiful face.”

 

“My mother was a whore,” Taemin replies indifferently, and Onew gives him a strange look while Jonghyun’s eyebrows disappear up beneath his hair.

 

“ _Well_ ,” Jonghyun continues, face cracking into a demented smile, “You’re _delightful_. How old are you? Twelve? Twelve and a half?”

 

“You know damn well how old I am,” Taemin says, without fear. Jonghyun may be a few years older, but Taemin won’t take his patronizing tone lying down.

 

Jonghyun smiles again, and this time it’s weighted in approval. Taemin doesn’t need it, but he takes satisfaction in meeting someone else who hasn’t immediately written him off.

 

Unfortunately, his peers see the exchange and are under the assumption that he’s making friends in higher places. Naturally they don’t like it, and they have no intention of sitting back and letting it happen either.

 

Ravi and his minions corner him as he returns to the dorms after dinner that night. Taemin’s self-training wrangles several of them useless, but reinforcements come and there are too many for him to handle at once. He takes a knee to his gut from one angle while he’s fighting another but he persists, his Silat skills allowing him to take down several more before he gets a blow to the head that blurs his vision. More hits come, his aggressors finally finding their opening and they all pile in to finish him. Someone straddles his stomach and starts pummeling his face and by then it’s all over. Ravi’s dark, satisfied grin is the last thing Taemin sees before he falls unconscious.

 

When he wakes up in the infirmary a few days later, he sees Onew’s concerned face amidst his morphine haze. The extent of his injuries are the worst he’s ever had.

 

“Fractured cheekbone, broken jaw,” Jonghyun rattles them off as he sits at the foot of the bed, “Four broken ribs, stab wound to the chest.”

 

His eyes roam to Onew at that particular piece of news.

 

“That happened last night,” Onew tells him worriedly, “Someone broke in and tried to kill you. Apparently your injuries weren’t enough to satisfy them.”

 

“Kid, they want you _dead_ ,” Jonghyun practically sing-songs, “You’re lucky your peers are inadequate. One inch south and they would have gotten your heart.”

 

He goes to say something, though he’s not sure what and Onew rests the back of his hand carefully and lightly against his cheek, telling him not to try. The fuzz of pain in his jaw cuts through the drugs sharp enough to stop him in his tracks.

 

“You can’t keep going through this,” Onew says, his eyes both sad and angry and Taemin wants to yell at him for worrying, for caring. He doesn’t need someone else’s baggage sitting beside his own.

 

“What can we possibly do?” Jonghyun asks.

 

Onew looks over at him, “I could get a message to the High Elder. Inform them of what’s going on. This isn’t fair---”

 

“I _know_ it’s not fair,” Jonghyun replies, his expression serious now, “But what good is that going to do? He’ll be labeled a nark.”

 

“He’s Ryong-Chul’s heir, surely the High Elder doesn’t want _this_ ,” Onew gestures down at Taemin’s current state, almost visibly shaking with repressed rage before he’s standing up and leaving the room, boots heavy on the cement floor.

 

Jonghyun sighs up at the ceiling and swings himself off the bed and into Onew’s previously occupied seat. He hunches over, plants his elbows on his knees and tilts his head at Taemin.

 

“How are you feeling, kid?” he asks, then holds a hand up, “Don’t answer that. You’re lucky I found you when I did, would have drowned in your own blood if I’d been a minute later.”

 

Taemin hates the feeling of indebtedness at Jonghyun’s revelation. He _is_ lucky; he knows how much Ravi and his followers hate him, but it’s surprising that someone would try to kill him – he’s only ever known his aggressors as the type to beat him into submission, not to make a cowardly attempt on his life when he’s alone and unconscious in a hospital bed.

 

“You must have _really_ pissed someone off,” Jonghyun shakes his head, “It may not make a difference, but I think it’s a good thing. If they’re trying to come at you like the little piss-ants they are, then it’s because you scare them.”

 

Jonghyun leans in close, eyes trailing the bloodied, bruised mess of Taemin’s face and smirks, “And if you scare them, my friend…then you are doing something _right_.”

 

Jonghyun slumps back in his seat and kicks his feet up onto the bedside, head rolling as his eyes scatter around the room distractedly. Taemin thinks on his words until he falls back under the morphine, and he finds himself satisfied with Jonghyun’s observations. One day, he’ll show them just who he is. And they’ll never come near him again.

 

 

 

 

As a member of the Order, Onew takes it upon himself to inform the High Elder of Taemin’s situation. It results in Taemin being put under Sicarii guard for a month while he recovers in the infirmary. The High Elder’s protection order shouldn’t surprise him – he’s Ryong-Chul’s son after all – but it does, just like it surprises him that his presence has been requested in the High Elder’s chambers when the wire in his jaw is removed.

 

Onew visits everyday with new books from the library and just about drives Taemin insane with his fathering, and Jonghyun comes by after supper every night and waxes on about his new training as a member of the Order. Taemin doesn’t mind that so much as Jonghyun’s company feels less like it comes from a place of pity. He talks battle strategy and fight technique and Taemin feels more like his colleague instead of his pathetic kid brother, just the way he prefers it. Jonghyun’s flippant attitude about his own calling de-sensitizes Taemin to the horrors and trials he will likely face in his warrior life, and it’s everything he needs to starve off his cabin fever.

 

He takes to exercising gently, unwilling to let his muscles get lazy and he develops his own routine of stretching, pushing his body as far as it can go without destroying his healing progress. Onew demands he rest; Jonghyun joins in to help him. While Onew cares too much, Jonghyun doesn’t believe Taemin’s age or injuries to be things that should hold him back.

 

Taemin is finally discharged from the infirmary over a month later, and Onew escorts him to the High Elder’s chambers. As Taemin understands it, the High Elder addresses every Sicarii warrior when they successfully become part of the Order and issues them their new rank, so for someone of Taemin’s standing to be meeting him is unheard of. He knows Onew and Jonghyun have both met the High Elder but neither have said much on the subject – Jonghyun’s eyes were ordered to never leave the floor, and Onew was too vague to give Taemin an answer so he has no idea what to expect.

 

One of the two guards posted outside the chamber doors – a tall, dark, handsome Sicarii warrior by the name of Siwon – tells Taemin to keep his mouth shut and his eyes on his feet at all times unless instructed otherwise. He’s also sworn to secrecy and informed that all words spoken inside the High Elder’s chambers are sacred and are to be treated with the utmost confidentiality. With that, Siwon moves away and pulls the door open, eyes strangely acknowledging as he waits for Taemin to step inside. Taemin sees Onew over his shoulder, shooing at him before the heavy doors groan closed.

 

He moves further into the room, lumbering forward into the sunlight streaming from the high windows. The place is decorated with heavy drapes and candles, and it smells of old book pages and burning wood. He sees the fireplace crackling and spitting at the end of the room, and he takes his time to soak in his surroundings while attempting to keep his eyes low.

 

“The son of Ryong-Chul,” an inherently _female_ voice has his head whipping around. He immediately drops his eyes to the floor as the soft rustle of fabric bears closer, “My, how you’ve grown.”

 

The admission leaves him surprised; he knows he has been the subject of observation since birth, and there’s no doubt the High Elder knows of him. But Taemin can’t shake the familiarity and warmth in her voice as she addresses him, like she has been watching over him for some time now.

 

“Are you…?” Taemin remembers the rules and promptly shuts his mouth.

 

“Go ahead,” she says, “Speak freely.”

 

He clears his throat and continues where he left off, “Are you the High Elder?”

 

He understands the High Elder is concealed at all times, usually overseeing all operations from their chambers. He’d always assumed the High Elder was some withered old man making demands from a throne, not…not _this_.

 

His muscles tighten all over when her hands appear on his shoulders, cold through the layers of his clothes. He sees her soft, floaty, translucent purple dress come into his line of sight and he has to close his eyes when the curve of her jeweled hips give way to the creamy skin of her cleavage. The closest thing he’s ever seen to a woman are the Priestesses who visit during the Sicarii rituals, and he’s only ever seen the shape of their heavy, concealing robes and hoods. He’s never seen the outline of the female body before, let alone so much skin.

 

He feels her cold fingertips lift his chin, “Yes, I am the High Elder. And you may look upon me.”

 

Taemin has to fight the urge to keep his eyes firmly shut, but he can feel her waiting and he eventually opens them, taking a moment to comprehend what he’s seeing because he’s never seen anything like her. He’s stuck in her crystal green eyes, frozen in place. His heart’s beating wildly in his chest, nervous, stunned and uncertain, his assumptions of the grand High Elder he’s only ever heard stories about now completely shattered.

 

“Not what you expected, I presume,” she says.

 

A sigh leaves Taemin’s lips without permission, “N-No, your highness.”

 

Taemin sees a dark humor light the corners of her eyes and she corrects him, “I am addressed as _Sire_. But you, dear Taemin, may call me by my name. _Calypso_.”

 

“Calypso…”

 

“Yes,” she smirks and turns away, putting much needed distance between them for which Taemin is grateful, “And that is to stay between us. No one else has the privilege.”

 

Taemin assumes that she believes the privilege to be of great importance to him. He thinks she couldn’t be further from the truth if she tried.

 

“I mean no offence, sire,” Taemin says quietly, “But privilege is what put me in the infirmary in the first place.”

 

She turns to look back at him and he readies himself for the punishment of speaking out of turn, but it doesn’t come. She stares at him curiously, thoughts ticking over behind her eyes.

 

“And what privilege would that be?”

 

Taemin’s reply is tentative, “The so-called privilege of being my father’s son.”

 

“You don’t believe it is a privilege to be your father’s son?”

 

“No, sire. I believe it will be my downfall, if I let it be.”

 

She glances around her chambers in thought, lips pursed. The High Elder is a grown woman, clearly, though she doesn’t look a day older than her personal guards standing outside. Her youth and beauty obviously belie her years.

 

“Your father was a hero, Taemin,” she tells him, authority edging her words, “He was a good, strong man---”

 

“Unless you are older than you appear, you have only ever heard the same stories I have, sire,” Taemin cuts in, and he waits for punishment again at his rudeness.

 

Instead she laughs. It sounds like tinkling bells, “I am older than you think.”

 

“Then you knew my father personally?”

 

“I knew him personally, yes,” she says, and Taemin watches her eyes glaze over and wonders if she’s remembering his father. But she seems to bring herself back, “What would you have me do about this predicament of yours?”

 

Taemin sighs, knowing there’s nothing much she _can_ do. He refuses to have a protective detail following him around day in and day out, but he knows there will be other attempts on his life if he doesn’t.

 

“Your situation is a dire one. It seems a few of your peers have concerns for your life.”

 

“I know, sire.”

 

“Then what would you ask of me?” she says, and when Taemin looks to her again, she appears stern but ultimately willing to help, “If you want protection, I will grant it. If you want them found and punished, I will see to it.”

 

Taemin is incredibly alarmed at her suggestions and wonders what kind of relationship she had with his father to provoke this reaction on his behalf. He can’t rip the target off his back, though he’s not going to poke at it with a stick either. But there is one thing he wants and he feels it’s a reasonable request.

 

“I want Ravi as my Parem Bellum opponent,” he says confidently.

 

She’s clearly surprised, though her shuttered expression hides it well, “You have three years until you are eligible to participate. Are you certain you can survive until then?”

 

“I’ve been fighting everyone in some form or another since I was born,” Taemin tells her, “My present situation makes no difference to me.”

 

Calypso steps closer, staring at him like he’s grown a second head but it isn’t exactly disapproving. He sees her calculating his words and storing them away, and Taemin is a little amazed, a little awed that an adult is finally taking him seriously. The approval in her eyes feels like a crown weighted on his head and for the first time in his entire life, he feels he’s earned it himself as _Taemin_ – _not_ as Ryong-Chul’s son.

 

Her gaze speaks of great plans for him, and Taemin knows that this is how he’ll feel when he kills Ravi in the ring. Proud. _Just_.

 

“My boy…I _acknowledge_ _your fire_ ,” she smiles darkly, “And I look forward to the day you stand victorious.” She dips her head to him, effectively ending their encounter, “I will see to it that your wish be granted.”

 

 

 

When Taemin comes out of the High Elder’s chambers, Onew pushes himself off the wall, “Well?”

 

“I’m on my own,” Taemin replies, much to Onew’s frustration.

 

He leans in and lowers his voice, “What do you mean?”

 

Taemin shrugs, “Nothing can be done.”

 

Onew sighs heavily through his nose, jaw clenched, and he grabs Taemin by the back of the neck and directs him down the corridor, “This is ridiculous----”

 

“They’re going to come after me anyway.”

 

“Yeah, well, I’m not just going to sit back and let that happen!”

 

Taemin shrugs him off, “Get _off_. I don’t need your protection.”

 

“Just _stop_ , okay?” Onew pleads as he gets in front of him, pushing the boy to a halt, “I get it. You are your own person and no one is going to treat you otherwise…trust me, I _get_ it. But you can’t prove yourself if you’re dead, do you hear me? They will come after you again, it’s only a matter of time, and they won’t care about the rules.”

 

He thinks about his cockiness, his willingness to take on any attack in order to practice his new techniques, his refusal to alter his routine in order to avoid confrontation and knows he was only helping to provoke them, “I just have to be careful.”

 

“Careful?”

 

Taemin nods and looks him in the eye, “Invisible.”

 

Onew lets his hands flop uselessly to his sides and points out the obvious, “And how do you suppose you’ll do _that_ , _Ryong-Chul’s son?_ ”

 

Taemin continues down the corridor and calls over his shoulder, “I’m going to break a few rules myself.”

 

 

 

 

 

Taemin does exactly what he said he would: He becomes invisible.

 

Ravi and his minions usually show up late to classes, so Taemin goes early instead. He travels between classes inside large crowds of older boys, trails behind the robes of Elders with his head down and forgoes the dining hall everyday to eat his lunch in the top of the large tree in the atrium. It’s a lot of effort to avoid being beaten to death by a pack of his own kin, but at least it allows him to work on his stealth, and climbing the tree everyday is improving his strength and flexibility.

 

Several weeks pass like this before he’s eventually caught by one of Ravi’s guys, and suddenly their numbers are swelling before Taemin’s very eyes and he almost panics at the idea that he’s done for. But then Jonghyun appears out of nowhere and wolf whistles at him.

 

“ _Taeminnie!_ ” he barks, giving Ravi and company enough of a fright to stop them in their tracks, “I haven’t got all day, kid!”

 

Taemin is about to shoot him the mother of all glares when Jonghyun slides up beside him and hooks an arm around his shoulders, “Hurry up, would you? My room isn’t gonna clean itself.”

 

Jonghyun walks him away from immediate danger with a cackle, leaving Ravi and his group snickering and smirking at the insinuation that Taemin is someone else’s bitch. Taemin prefers they believe he’s Jonghyun’s shuttle instead of a comrade; he wants to keep them as dumb and unassuming for as long as he can.

 

 

 

 

Another boy begins to appear in the little group they now have going, Onew’s new pupil Key. Taemin likens him to a feline both in the way he walks, as if the ground is his alone to walk upon, and the way his gaze pierces through everyone like they’re nothing.

 

Taemin starts skipping classes – no one is teaching him anything of use, so he takes to watching Onew train Key in the afternoons. Eventually Onew encourages him to join in, and it ends up replacing Taemin’s lackluster schooling rather nicely. No one asks for him, no one tracks him down for his absence and Onew is a good teacher, enlightening Taemin with new ways of thinking, easier alternatives that could very well save his life one day. Taemin’s not in a position to complain; he’s the only boy under eighteen who has the advantage of receiving training from a legitimate Sicarii warrior, so naturally he throws in his all.

 

Taemin takes a seat whenever it’s time for sparring, purely because Onew and Key are so fascinating to watch. Where Onew is strong and powerful, Key is lithe and fast and it makes them a perfect match in ways Taemin wouldn’t have believed otherwise. Onew’s experience claims every victory and he has Key laid out on the mat, frustrated and breathless at the end of their matches. But as the weeks stretch on, the odds even up as Key learns Onew’s instincts and adjusts his own style to trap him in them.

 

Onew keeps telling him _don’t be afraid to get close_ , and Key eventually gets over whatever personal bubble issues he has – the day he gets into Onew’s stance and uses his strength against him, he manages to swing his legs around his mentor’s shoulders and uses the momentum to flip him onto the mat. Taemin can tell Key’s about to start crowing with victory, but Onew immediately bounces back and overpowers him, catching Key in his surprise.

 

“Close,” The eldest boy laughs, while Key crawls tiredly across the mat, “Very close.”

 

Key hits the mat hard with his fist and growls, “I _had_ you.”

 

“You did,” Onew concurs, “But an artifact isn’t going to lie down and catch its breath while you pat yourself on the back.”

 

Key glares up at him, then glares at the hand Onew offers him but instead of taking it, he punches Onew hard in the thigh and swivels on the mat to kick his legs out from under him. Onew jumps over the attack and takes him in a headlock from behind, and Key releases a guttural scream as he throws his elbow as hard as he can into Onew’s ribs, wraps his hands around the back of Onew’s neck and curls in, throwing the older boy over his shoulder.

 

Onew tangles around him mid-maneuver and then they’re both just rolling around on the mat, trying to get the upper hand. Taemin thinks it’s over when Onew has Key on his back, head pinned between his thighs, but Key swings his legs up, crosses his ankles over Onew’s neck and slams him backward. He twists them over until Onew is face down, disables him briefly with a few quick punches to his flank while he climbs on top and gets him in a chokehold.

 

Onew immediately flips them, like he’s got a textbook counterattack for everything, and Key struggles to wrap his legs around Onew’s waist while he’s momentarily winded. He takes several hits to his ribs as Onew throws his elbow into him, and Taemin can see him losing grip, but Key eventually sees his opening and catches Onew’s left wrist and locks it beneath his thigh. Onew is getting dizzy with the pressure on his throat but to Taemin’s amazement, he engages his core and curls his lower body up until he’s rolling over Key’s head, dislodging the boy’s hold. Key rolls with him, finally putting Onew’s lessons into action and when Onew twists onto his back, Key locks his head between his thighs – tables turned.

 

Onew tries the same maneuver as Key had previously, trying to get his ankles around his neck but Key plants his hands on the ground above Onew’s head and leans down out of range and every attempt on Onew’s part has the two inching closer into each other’s personal space. The energy between them is suddenly charged with something else entirely; Taemin observes curiously as the two boys stare at each other, both of them uncharacteristically still in what is a vital moment in their sparring.

 

Something snaps Onew back into the moment and he rears forward with everything he has until he’s standing upright, and Key tightens his thighs around Onew’s neck and flips himself back with as much momentum as he can muster, sending the older boy flying across the mat. Onew bounces back once again, but this time Key is already ahead of him and catches him in the side of the head with a roundhouse kick.

 

Onew goes down, and Key crouches over him to run a finger across Onew’s neck, signaling the end of the fight.

 

“Finally!” Onew exclaims, gulping down air like he’s starved as he grins from ear to ear. He presses a hand to his temple and huffs a pained laugh, “ _Oww_.”

 

Key staggers back and falls onto the mat to catch his breath, and Taemin releases his grip on the wooden bench seat beneath him.

 

A tall, shaggy-haired boy runs into the outdoor training area and nods at Taemin in greeting before he calls over to Key, “Kibum, we’re getting announced. We gotta go.”

 

Key sits up like he didn’t just go five rounds with Onew, “What? _Already?”_

 

The boy nods in return and Key’s short-lived satisfaction suddenly gives way to worry. In just a few moments, he’ll learn the identity of who he’s being trained to kill. And if the nervous exchange between him and his friend is anything to go by, they could very well be paired against each other.

 

 

 

Key’s eyes slide closed with apparent relief twenty minutes later when his friend, Minho, is matched with a boy named Mir. He himself is matched with a boy named Changsub, and Taemin can feel Onew grow tense beside him as the name is announced. He sees Key and Onew share a look and wonders if perhaps Key’s appointed Parem Bellum opponent may be someone he can’t beat.

 

 

 

The month of training that follows is rigorous. Onew works Key harder than ever, trying to turn his instincts into habits. Taemin joins in from a distance, wanting to be pushed for his own gain but trying to leave the two with enough space to do what needs to be done. He doesn’t want to be responsible for Key failing in the ring.

 

When Parem Bellum week arrives, their training runs late into the evenings as Onew tries to pack as much into Key’s last three days as he can. Key’s nerves and edginess come to a boil when he starts remaking mistakes that Onew trained out of him months ago, and he strides quickly over to the nearest brick wall, ready to break his hand on it in order to get himself more time but Onew wraps his arms around him and forcefully carries him away.

 

“No! Let me do this!” Key yells, “I’m not ready! _I’m not ready!”_

 

“No one ever is,” Onew tells him calmly, even as Key thrashes in his grip, “It’s a test of _determination_. Participation is mandatory, regardless of how many bones you break.”

 

“ _Please!_ I’m not ready!” Key is screaming now, working himself into hysterics and Onew shifts his grip on his charge when his knees give out and the tears come, “ _I’m not ready!_ ”

 

Onew shushes him gently, pulling Key into his chest and Taemin sees the reality of a life far different from his own. Key hasn’t lived in constant battle mode, hasn’t had to fend off random, unplanned attacks everyday the way Taemin has and now here he is, sobbing into his mentor’s arms because he’s _afraid_. Taemin considers himself thankful for Ravi’s endless torment.

 

Key’s muffled sobs sound a lot like _I’m not ready to die_ , and Taemin thinks of the mantra he’s been repeating to himself for as long as he can remember, a mantra that he’ll put into action when he finally meets Ravi in the ring: _I’m not willing to die._

 

 

Minho’s fight comes and Taemin, Jonghyun, Onew and Key take seats in the hall to watch. Jonghyun’s quieter and angrier than usual – the student he’d been training for the Parem Bellum had died in his match the day before, unfairly paired with a boy twice his size.

 

“Gotta weed out the weak, right?” Jonghyun tells him sourly.

 

Onew steadies Key’s nervous, bouncing knee when Minho finally enters the ring, skin glistening from his pre-battle ritual and they all watch the ensuing fight with a mix of trepidation. Minho’s sharp and fit, but Mir is loose and relaxed and they exchange several equally matched blows as they get a feel for each other. When Minho finally engages, he’s quicker than Taemin expected and his long limbs catch Mir in critical areas before the boy has a chance to dodge. Mir’s drunken-fist style makes his counter assault unpredictable and he lays into Minho with a series of sweeping kicks and quick jabs, landing a successful blow to Minho’s face that sends him hurtling to the ground and Key leaping out of his seat.

 

Minho scrambles to reengage, though it doesn’t _look_ good. For every five hits Mir lands, Minho exchanges one, though Taemin can see it’s strategic – Mir is using too much energy for such small blows while Minho is absorbing them, taking his time and hitting him twice as hard in vital areas. Mir keeps coming at him in bursts, making the mistake of concentrating on his own fight style while Minho is reading his opponent’s, and it’s just as Key is about to collapse with worry that Minho catches Mir’s right arm in a hold and snaps it at the elbow so fast that no one knows what he’s done until Mir’s scream hits the hall walls.

 

Minho stalks him as he stumbles back, trying to hold his arm together – his concentration for the fight now completely gone. Minho sends him to the ground with a roundhouse kick to the neck and moves to finish him off.

 

Taemin can see the struggle on Minho’s face. One more move and he becomes the victor, a killer, someone who will never quite be the same. If he hesitates, his opponent’s chances of escape increase and his own survival drops drastically. The seconds stretch on while Minho wavers, watching Mir crying on the floor, his broken arm twisted at a gross angle beneath him as he attempts to prop himself up. Minho’s window of victory is closing, and Taemin sees his hesitation turn to panic at Mir’s urgency to get back up. So he moves forward, his choice made. Minho stomps hard on the base of his skull, and Mir’s cries are promptly cut off.

 

The hall’s spectators are silent as Minho staggers to put distance between them, and an Elder goes to examine Mir but the growing pool of blood beneath his head is a clear sign that it’s over. When the Elder’s hand signals the end of the match, the hall erupts with cheers. Taemin watches Key surge down the tiered seating to get ringside, but Minho is too visibly shaken to hear him calling his name. Beside him, Jonghyun is nodding to himself at the results.

 

This is all part of Sicarii life, Taemin surmises. They all fear the battle in different ways – Key fears that he’ll lose, while Minho is just as scared of his win. If Taemin feared anything, it would be going down in history as the great disappointment everyone believes him to be.

 

Minho, covered in sweat and marred with blood, steps down from the ring into Key’s arms. He looks haunted, like a piece of himself is forever destroyed and it sends Taemin back two years to when Onew had the same expression, having killed for the first time. Looking at Onew now, he is strangely still. His gaze rests on Mir’s body in the ring; an even stranger nothingness in his eyes.

 

 

 

 

The morning of Key’s Parem Bellum, Taemin goes for his daily run around the mountain surrounding the Sicarii compound, getting up earlier than usual to do so since Onew and Key are too busy focusing on Key’s fight to accompany him. The risk of being confronted by one of Ravi’s mindless drones is still too great.

 

He enjoys the burn of exertion in his muscles, and the cold morning mist that dusts his hair and face and the insides of his lungs wakes him up, leaves him refreshed. He veers from the track he usually follows when he’s with the others, adding some recline to his routine. He stops short when he reaches the top and sees a boy practicing fight techniques further away, and he readies himself to disappear the way he came before he identifies him as Changsub, the boy Key will be fighting in a few hours. Instead, Taemin conceals himself behind the nearest tree and observes what appears to be a last minute training session.

 

Changsub is swinging his elbows and practicing spinning low kicks in fast, measured movements. He appears strong and fierce from a distance, more than capable of going toe to toe with Key and Taemin finally understands the worries of his peers. The longer Taemin watches him, however, the more he figures him out.

 

Changsub heavily favors his right leg, like he’s recovering from a recent injury and is still testing the waters. His left arm has marginally less power, too; it tells Taemin he’s right-handed, which makes Changsub’s biggest point of power – his right side – ultimately weakened. It’s enough for Key to win, should he choose to exploit it.

 

 

 

Onew runs Key through his last training session an hour later, and tensions are high. Key’s nervousness is tangible, and Taemin sees that Onew is trying not to let it affect his teaching but it’s hard to ignore the emotions in the air. Key is already preparing himself to lose, and Onew is worried he’ll lose him.

 

Taemin is also observant enough to know it’s not all about the student-mentor relationship either. He’s seen something quiet grow between the two boys in the last few months, an acknowledgement of some sort, a deep respect, an admiration. Key, for all his stubbornness and bitchiness, takes Onew’s word as gospel. And beneath Onew’s tough teacher mentality, he is a boy who also gets unexplainably nervous at Key’s proximity.

 

When the Elders arrive to collect Key for his pre-battle ritual, the look he and Onew share is heavy with something Taemin is uncomfortable naming.

 

“Dinner, tonight,” Onew tells him, “Be there.”

 

Taemin knows what he’s really saying, but Key turns away without response, letting the Elders lead him away.

 

“I mean it, Key,” Onew calls louder as he’s taken away, “ _Be_ there. Don’t you dare stand us up.”

 

Key disappears from view and Onew sort of slumps where he stands, his face paralyzed with an expression similar to that of a man who has had his heart ripped out. Taemin doesn’t understand it, Onew’s caring nature. He doesn’t understand how he has held on to that part of himself all these years, how he keeps caring despite the obvious pain it puts him in, how he keeps caring even though Taemin is always telling him it’s a waste of time.

 

“Why do you keep doing this to yourself?” Taemin asks him, exasperated.

 

Onew blinks, his eyes still locked on the last place Key had been, “Doing what.”

 

“Caring. It’s not doing you any good.”

 

“So I should be a machine like Jonghyun?” Onew asks, his voice dull. He finally glances at Taemin, though he looks dead inside, “Like _you?_ ”

 

Taemin response is matter-of-fact, “It helps me survive.”

 

“Of course it does. But then when you’re done surviving, you’ll have nothing left,” Onew tells him, “You will only ever be living, you’ll never truly be alive.”

 

Taemin scoffs, “What exactly is there to be alive _for?_ ”

 

Onew straightens up and flashes him a rueful smile as he walks away, “I hope one day you can find yourself an answer to that question.”

 

 

 

 

 

Key’s Parem Bellum is minutes away. Taemin sits between Onew and Minho and really wishes he hadn’t.

 

Minho blasts Onew with questions of Key’s training, asking if he learned this and that, if he’s prepared, how his pre-fight training went, how his mindset was and Onew finally glowers at him, having ignored him for five straight minutes.

 

“Does it _matter?_ ” he says, “It’s too late to change anything now.”

 

Minho’s glaring at him, “My friend is about to fight for his life up there. _Yes_ , it matters.”

 

“I taught him everything I could,” Onew bites back, “But none of it will mean a damn thing if he goes up there and expects to lose.”

 

“So, what about his opponent? What’s _he_ like?”

 

“Changsub is injured,” Taemin says, and Onew and Minho look to him in surprise. Jonghyun pokes his head from behind Onew’s shoulder out of curiosity.

 

Onew gapes, “ _What?_ ”

 

“Really?” Minho asks.

 

“If Key can put into practice what Onew has taught him,” Taemin turns to Minho, “then he’ll win. If Key loses, it’ll be his own fault.”

 

Minho looks like he’s about to start spitting at him but Taemin shifts around to face Onew. He’s almost beside himself with worry now that he isn’t pretending he’s not, and Taemin feels a little indebted to the boy who has taught him so much.

 

“He’ll be fine.”

 

“How are you sure?” Onew asks.

 

“Because Key knows what he’s doing,” Taemin replies indifferently, and they all turn toward the ring when Key and Changsub arrive, the crowd suddenly abuzz, “When he’s not around _you_ , that is.”

 

Onew is indignant, “What is _that_ supposed to mean?”

 

“Yeah, what he said,” Minho pipes in, hackles raised and Taemin is already so far over whatever pissing contest has Onew and Minho at each other’s throats that he stands up to relocate to a ringside seat. He sees Siwon, the guy he remembers as one of the High Elder’s security detail and takes up next to him where he stands at the corner of the ring.

 

“You mind?” Taemin asks.

 

Siwon folds his arms and shakes his head, not appearing to be bothered by Taemin’s presence, “Who are you here for?”

 

“Him,” Taemin replies, gesturing at a pale-faced Key, “I have an invested interest.”

 

Siwon blinks at him, “You’re so odd.”

 

Taemin folds his arms in defense, “What makes you say that?”

 

“You’re way beyond your sixteen years,” Siwon says, and his ensuing nod and the light in his eyes are surprisingly full of admiration, “There’s not much hope for the rest of your age group. So trust me when I say being odd is a good thing.”

 

“You say that like the Elders are actually paying attention to us.”

 

“Oh, they see more than you think,” Siwon says grimly, pointing at Key and Changsub as they wait to start, “You think your Parem Bellum is your one and only test? Kid, you’re all being tested _even as we speak_.”

 

Taemin doesn’t have enough time to ponder that particular piece of information with the sudden start of Key’s bout. The noise of the crowd intensifies to deafening as the two boys begin circling each other.

 

Changsub is quick to get in Key’s face and lands the first hit with a solid right jab, which knocks Key’s stance askew. Key begins dodging the following attacks so that he can allow himself time to shake it off, which is a smart idea because the force of the blow doesn’t bode well. Changsub is light on his right foot, just like Taemin predicted and he watches Key’s face, waiting for evidence that he has seen his opponent’s weakness.

 

Changsub continues to attack while Key continues to dodge out of fear, knowing that another crucial hit like that could be the end of any chance he had. He still hasn’t read his opponent’s body yet and Taemin is tense all over out of pure frustration.

 

“The rules state I’m not allowed to tell him what to do, right?” Taemin asks, and he can feel Siwon turning toward him.

 

“Correct.”

 

So Taemin does the next best thing and slams his fist down on the ring floor as hard as he can, disguising it as the simple act of an enthusiastic spectator. Both Key’s and Changsub’s eyes drop at the loud bang and the feel of the vibration beneath their feet, but it does the trick because Key’s eyes are now on Changsub’s weak leg.

 

Taemin turns to Siwon, almost daring him to make a thing of it but the look in Siwon’s eyes makes him think he’s just passed another unknown test, “I saw nothing.”

 

Key dodges Changsub’s next attack and readies himself for the next, then captures his flying fist through his elbow, pulls him forward and slams his knee hard into Changsub’s gut, knocking the air out of him. And simply because he’s already there, he gets him twice more with his knee just to cause some damage. Changsub staggers and rears back with his right leg for a kick, and Key catches his calf with his forearm on the way past and twists it into a grab, kicks at the back of his other knee and snaps his leg backwards across his thigh as Changsub hits the ground. He screams.

 

“That’s it,” Taemin mutters as Key climbs onto his back, gets an arm around his neck and lifts him up.

 

Key lands five punches to Changsub’s face, and Taemin knows he’s aiming for the nose. The last one finally breaks it, probably splinters the bone into the brain because Changsub struggling stops. Key drops him and backs up, moving to the other corner of the ring as an Elder climbs in and examines his opponent. The signal is raised and Key collapses into tears where he stands, though Taemin feels they’re more out of relief than anything.

 

Siwon slaps Taemin’s shoulder and congratulates him before he heads back to his post, and Taemin watches Minho arrive ringside to pull Key out. Key clutches his friend desperately, visibly trembling, and his eyes land on Taemin through his tears. Key gives him a thankful nod, something simple and just between them and he’s glad that Key knows when enough is enough because he wouldn’t be able to handle any flailing or hugs of gratitude. He looks up into the stands to see where Onew is but comes across Jonghyun instead, shrugging back at him.

 

 

 

 

 

The next two years pass uneventfully.

 

Taemin grows another couple of inches in that time, and develops as much muscle as he can for a scrawny eighteen year old with Jonghyun’s help. Onew enters his twenty second year and moves up another few ranks as he proves his leadership qualities and successfully gets each of his students through their Parem Bellum. He’s been scarce ever since Key’s fight, and when Taemin does come across him, he doesn’t say much. Jonghyun tells him that Onew has finally come around to their way of thinking – he’s growing out of the emotional boy he used to be. But it’s not without effect either. Every now and then, Taemin still catches Key’s gaze searching for him.

 

Jonghyun is now twenty one, but he doesn’t let the age gap stop him from hanging out with Taemin. They run together every morning and do weight training in the afternoons, and Taemin would call him a friend if the word didn’t make him wither inside. His company alone has been enough to keep Ravi and his drones off his back. Key and Minho are both in their twentieth year and still largely inseparable. Over the last couple of years, Minho has become a permanent part of their little group. He’s unexpectedly _smiley_ , and he could laugh the roof off a house if he wanted to, but he’s also a man of honor and Taemin finds at least he can get onboard with that much. Key is more relaxed, more confident in his fight skills and through his initiate training he discovers he’s quite the gifted archer. That particular talent alone is enough to make Key a shoe-in for any missions the Sicarii may face.

 

Taemin gets summoned to the High Elder’s quarters, where new faces now guard the entrance. He’s given the low-down again by a Sicarii member – eyes down, speak only when given permission, secrecy on pain of death – and he glares at the guy, snorts at his air of self-importance before he goes in.

 

“Taemin,” Calypso greets him with a wide smile, appraising him, “You grow more handsome every time I see you.”

 

“Thank you, sire,” he says emptily, not at all comfortable with the compliment but he’s not in a position to argue. She trails her eyes over him, taking him in with a nod.

“You understand why you are here, yes?”

 

“My Parem Bellum.”

 

“You are smart,” she smirks, “The role of your mentor has been a topic of much interest. It is my understanding that there have been several requests for the position.”

 

“Requests?” he asks with a frown, “By whom?”

 

She lifts a piece of paper from her desk and glances at it, “Jonghyun, Kibum, Minho, and Onew have all made requests to mentor you. But considering your status and their ranks, I’m more inclined to appoint you to Siwon.” She drops the paper back where she found it and looks up at Taemin.

 

“Siwon?” he asks, thinking of his high position in the Order. For a trainee to be paired with a near-master is unheard of, “But…he’s _sixth_ rank----”

 

“And he'll be quite the compliment to your training,” she says.

 

Taemin straightens his shoulders, finally seeing where this is going, “I mean no offense, sire, but I don’t want to be the object of your favoritism.”

 

“While I am most fond of you, my dear Taemin, it isn’t favoritism that will appoint you to him,” she explains, “Siwon also requested you. Which I find extremely telling, considering he has never concentrated on anyone but himself.”

 

Taemin is surprised that Onew wants him, and he feels something akin to a small pang as he thinks of the boy who took him under his wing when no one else gave him the time of day. But Siwon has made a name for himself in recent years as someone who has mastered a lot in such a short time. He feels greedy at the mention of him, and he wants to possess whatever skills his senior has that his peers don’t.

 

“I believe someone with such goals as yourself would greatly benefit from Siwon’s tutelage,” she continues, then smiles, “It is only my favoritism that wants to give you options. If you don’t want Siwon’s expertise, it is entirely your choice.”

 

God, he _wants_ ; wants to absorb as much knowledge in his craft as he can and advance beyond his limits and right now, his limits are those around him. As beneficial as they have been, they’re all still learning too, and they can only teach him so much. And having already been mentored by Onew, Jonghyun, Minho and Key in some way, he thinks a new teacher is exactly what he needs.

 

“Siwon it is then,” he finally agrees, his chin held high.

 

 

 

 

He meets with Siwon the next day and shakes the hand he’s offered. Siwon doesn’t say anything, but he’s clearly satisfied with Taemin’s choosing of him. The glint in his eyes is also a little relieved, though Taemin can’t understand why.

 

Siwon cocks his head to the side, directing them away, “Let’s go eat.”

 

They take up in the almost empty dining hall with an array of food that Siwon has meticulously chosen, consisting of mostly proteins and grains. It’s far more than Taemin usually eats but Siwon insists he finish it.

 

“I want you to eat more and get a solid eight hours sleep every night,” Siwon tells him, eyeing his slight frame, “You’re too thin to cause any damage.”

 

Taemin’s outright pissed at the criticism, but he takes in Siwon’s broad, muscled shoulders and strong biceps and figures if this health regime is the reason his mentor is shaped the way he is, then he can get onboard.

 

“Optimal health means you can push yourself further. I’m assuming that’s what you want.”

 

“Correct.”

 

“Then that’s all I ask of you,” Siwon says, pausing as he chews, “The rest is your choice.”

 

He questions Taemin on what he wants to learn, what his goals are, where his head is at and simply listens and nods, filing it all away. Taemin appreciates Siwon’s quiet acceptance of him and the fact that he doesn’t delve any further, but he also has some rules of his own that he wants his mentor to abide by.

 

As a person who has fulfilled every training request made of him, Taemin is yet to reach a limit he can’t overcome. He’s never once complained about difficulty, nor has he ever given up, which is evidence that he has succeeded his peers. Countless times has he witnessed Key give up, or Minho take a break, or Jonghyun get frustrated and divert to something else. Failure isn’t really a concept Taemin believes in.

 

So he tells Siwon he wants to be pushed as hard as possible, and Siwon’s ensuing nod is full of understanding and agreement. Taemin also demands that he teach him in a way that will prepare him for Sicarii life, not just his Parem Bellum, even if that means to destroy him and rebuild him from scratch. He also requests he be treated like any other potential initiate. Siwon agrees to both conditions wholeheartedly, like he wouldn’t dream of training him any other way.

 

His final condition is closer to home.

 

“Any mention of my ancestry is a deal-breaker,” Taemin says, “Don’t bring him up. I won’t stand for it.”

 

Taemin’s disdain for his father and anything regarding him has become well known over the years, so Siwon doesn’t bother asking why. But he appears to absorb Taemin’s hostility with great difficulty, as if it’s a bitter pill to swallow.

 

“The image you have of your father is only that – an image,” Siwon says, “You know nothing of the man your father truly was.”

 

“I’ve heard the stories---” But Siwon cuts him off with an adamant shake of his head.

 

“The stories don’t do him justice,” he says defensively, like it’s personal and Taemin does the math – Siwon would have been six years old when Ryong-Chul died, so it’s possible he’d actually met the man, “Out of respect for your wishes, I won’t mention him. But one day you _will_ ask, and then I’ll tell you everything I know.”

 

Taemin’s stubbornness doesn’t budge, but they both accept the terms and the deal is done.

 

 

 

Training begins the next day.

 

They have a lengthy sparring match for the purpose of showing his mentor what he knows. Siwon’s build and knowledge make him impossible to beat, but Taemin’s fight style is too unpredictable for Siwon to get the upper hand either. Taemin is breathless by the end, but he quickly realizes that his mentor is almost as exhausted as he is.

 

Siwon is panting heavily, “ _Wow_.”

 

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t hold back,” Taemin growls, “I’m here to learn, not to be pandered to.”

 

Siwon laughs and plants his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath, “Despite what you might think, I can assure you I was _not_ holding back. What style is that?”

 

“Silat,” Taemin replies, blinking the sweat out of his eyes.

 

“I’ve never seen anything like it. Why’d you choose it?”

 

“Because it’s customizable, allows for quick adaption and utilizes full range,” Taemin says as he releases a big sigh, “And _because_ no one’s seen anything like it.”

 

 

 

 

Over the next few months, Siwon rebuilds Taemin from the ground up. His training consists of intense strength conditioning and balance work that aims to solidify his stance and power. Taemin is initially sluggish with the new diet, but once his body adapts to running on more fuel and his strength increases, he notices an improvement in his ease of movement and endurance.

 

They run through meditation and zen sessions, which Taemin really doesn’t see the point in, but Siwon demands he learn it all the same.

 

“You’re thinking you want to kill Ravi,” Siwon tells him, as Taemin stands balanced on one foot atop one of the few wooden posts breaking the surface of the tranquility pond in the main gardens, “Vengeance must come from a place of quiet, not anger. Anger will only back you into a corner. Anger is where you’ll make mistakes.”

 

He makes Taemin train with rocks in his hands, trying to get him a feel for the power he must use at his vital points and it makes the muscles _beneath_ his muscles ache. Siwon also teaches him breathing techniques for recovery, of which he utilizes every night. Taemin finds himself wincing in pain more often than not when it’s just him in the quiet of his room, but he doesn’t complain. His mentor is pushing him, just like he wanted.

 

Siwon also quietly demands Taemin select a word every morning and asks him to recite it every night. When Taemin asks why, Siwon’s answer is chilling.

 

“It’ll tell you if your memory has been tampered with,” he says, “I want it to become your first priority every day. If you can’t remember your trigger word, then something is wrong.”

 

“Artifacts can do that?”

 

“Probably.”

 

Taemin frowns, “Then who are _you_ talking about it?”

 

Siwon glances around the grounds like he sees enemies everywhere, and the way he looks Taemin directly in the eyes raises the hair on the back of his neck, “Just make sure you do it.”

 

 

 

 

_“Taemin.”_

 

Being under Siwon’s strict tutelage for the past few months has kept his extra curricular training and socializing with Key, Minho and Jonghyun to a minimum, so the looks on their faces are stunned and surprised when Siwon escorts him through the throng of people gathered for the year’s Parem Bellum announcement. The mouths of his old class members go slack at his changed appearance as he steps up into the ring, where he’ll be fighting in a couple of weeks.

 

Onew is standing near one of the exits, obviously there for Taemin’s pairing results as well. He touches two fingers to his right brow in a small salute, and Taemin briefly bows his head to him, silently satisfied to see the older boy.

 

_“Ravi.”_

The crowd parts again and Ravi comes through, stepping up beside him. Taemin can feel Ravi’s eyes all over him like a hungry animal waiting for the kill, but he doesn’t bother looking back. Siwon folds his arms and awaits the announcement, towering over the majority of the people gathered.

 

The Elder finalizes the bout, _“You are matched to fight on the seventh day.”_

The crowd does its customary applause and cheers as a sign of support for the match, and Ravi snickers with his friends and throws his hands up in celebration. When he turns back to Taemin, however, the dark grin falls from his face. Taemin’s returning stare is unblinking, unaffected and Ravi looks more and more uncomfortable the longer it stretches on.

 

Ravi slaps on a smirk and goes to say, “See you in the ring, asswipe---”

 

But Taemin steps down mid-sentence and leaves, letting it fall on deaf ears. It gets Ravi where it hurts – he’s always liked to talk, always liked to hear his own voice as it breaks someone down. Ravi clearly anticipated their announcement to be an opportunity for him to brag on a big scale, while Taemin is only there to ensure the High Elder stuck to her word. His dismissal of Ravi leaves the other boy flustered in front of the very people he calls friends, and as Siwon escorts him out with a hand on his back, Taemin thinks two weeks is the perfect amount of time to let Ravi stew in his inadequacies.

 

 

 

Siwon lets him have the night off and Key, Minho and Jonghyun immediately confiscate him, wanting to catch up.

 

“Whooooaw, what has he been _doing_ to you?” Minho asks while Key holds Taemin at arms length, letting them all get a good look at him.

 

“What the hell are _these?_ ” Jonghyun squeezes Taemin’s biceps and whistles impressively, “Do you actually have _arms_ now?”

 

Taemin doesn’t bother fighting them off, he simply stares until they all catch on to his silent threat and remove their hands by their own will of self-preservation.

 

“We haven’t seen you in so long and now you’re all Full Metal Jacket,” Key comments, brandishing a big smile, “We’ve missed you, Taeminah.”

 

 

 

 

The night before his fight, Key, Minho and Jonghyun take Taemin to the outdoor training pad. Taemin wipes the floor with Minho, who’s considered the better technical fighter of all three. Key attempts to take him but gets worn down and gives up and while Jonghyun’s frustration keeps him coming back for more, Taemin disables him over and over again until the other two are whining at him to stop. Taemin’s skills have been vastly improved and honed down to the wire, and it is Siwon’s attentiveness as his mentor that has made it happen.

 

Minho’s pleased at Taemin’s skill while Key brushes it off, but Jonghyun’s fierce, seething gaze rests on Taemin unhappily, his pride wounded and jealousy ignited. Taemin knew he’d surpass his seniors one day, and it’s exactly the reaction he’d been expecting from someone as hot-headed at Jonghyun. And with the way he is staring at him like Taemin’s the enemy, he’s now very much aware that their camaraderie has come to an end.

 

 

 

 

Taemin spends the morning training with Siwon, stretching, breathing, getting his head calm and collected before he accompanies him through his pre-battle rituals.

 

He’d been warned to wear something he’d be willing to part with, and the reason why becomes apparent when everything on his person is confiscated and destroyed as a symbol for leaving his past attachments behind. Siwon watches idly as Taemin is stripped naked, and he takes it upon himself to check the grey robes they clothe him in. Siwon follows the Elders that escort him to the main temple, where he is made to meditate and recite prayers under the temple monk’s supervision. Taemin isn’t much for praying, but he takes the ritual for what it is – the beginning of the next stage of his life.

 

He gets scrubbed clean and anointed in oil. Months ago he would have grit his teeth through the touches of so many hands, but now he concentrates on Siwon’s presence in the corner of the room, mentally removing himself from the discomfort. He is dressed in traditional black keikogi, and Siwon cuts Taemin’s long dark hair out of his eyes as not to obscure his vision during his fight. He also gifts Taemin a large dark cerulean blue handkerchief embroidered in gold and explains its role as a traditional Silat headdress. Taemin ignores his dislike at receiving such a thing, even as Siwon ties it around his bicep.

 

“It’s not so much a gift as it is an acknowledgement,” Siwon tells him, “As your teacher, I acknowledge where you come from.” Taemin’s about to start glaring at him, believing he means his parentage when Siwon gives him a wry smile, “And by that I mean the path you took to get here. It wasn’t an easy one…but then the easy ones are never truly worth it anyway.”

 

 

 

 

His Parem Bellum is finally here, and by the noise and mass of people filling the hall, it feels like the entire compound closed down to witness it.

 

Taemin walks the distance to the ring with his shoulders squared and his head held high, eyes on the breadth of Siwon’s shoulders ahead of him. He can hear the excitement of his spectators; members of the Order are anticipating his victory while the boys of his age group either muse that his strengthened appearance doesn’t guarantee a win, or that he’s still the same pathetic disappointment that he ever was. Siwon doesn’t even have to tell him to ignore them – their opinions mean about as much to him as their existence. Absolutely nothing.

 

He passes the numerous dark brown robes of the gathered Elders on his way up, and he stops when he notices black among them – the High Elder. Her appearance at such an event is rare but Taemin understands she favors him, regardless of how much he dislikes it. She’s concealed as usual, the cloth of her hood shadowing her eyes and a black fabric menpo covering her face from the nose down. He bows his head respectfully in her direction and moves on, climbing up into the ring. Ravi’s already there, his ever-present smirk displayed for all to see.

 

The Parem Bellum begins, and they both shift into their individual stances. Taemin observes him, his weight placement, his dominant side. He knows landing the first hit means to allow the enemy to get a better read on you, and he knows Ravi is thinking the same thing. But Taemin also knows that if he doesn’t do something now, they’ll be stuck like this for the next five minutes. So he goes against the trend.

 

Taemin steps, spins down to his knees and slugs Ravi inside his right thigh, then surges upward to break his nose as Ravi staggers down. While Ravi is busy trying to regain his equilibrium, Taemin grabs him by the hair and slams Ravi’s head into the floor. He backs up and watches Ravi jump to his feet, dark blood streaming from his nose and painting his chin. He looks pissed. Taemin can work with pissed. Anger is where mistakes are made, as Siwon had taught him.

 

Sure enough, the hit to Ravi’s ego has him throwing himself recklessly into Taemin’s proximity. He starts swinging and kicking and Taemin has no choice but to block and dodge and wait for him to open up again. Ravi’s powerful and incredibly fast, leaving Taemin with no choice but to cripple him instead as his attacks aren’t leaving him any space to get the upper hand. So he goes with the momentum of Ravi’s punch, twists his wrist behind his back and thrusts his elbow up, dislocating Ravi’s right arm at the shoulder. He screams and Taemin spin-kicks, hits him in the side of the neck with his heel on the way around and watches him go down.

 

Ravi gets back up and Taemin grabs his good wrist, ducks under Ravi’s arm behind him and twists until it crunches, then sends him headfirst into the floor with a hard kick to the shoulder blade. When Ravi’s on his feet again, Taemin takes his dislocated arm and swings him around, shoving his knee into his solar plexis. Ravi coughs as the wind gets knocked out of him, and Taemin takes advantage of his distraction by grabbing him in a headlock and bringing Ravi’s spine down into his kneecap. Ravi’s legs give out, his back broken, and he can no longer get back up when Taemin throws him down.

 

He was under the assumption that his match with Ravi would be at least even, but it seems Ravi was all bark and no bite and he’s no longer of any use now that he has the mobility of a ragdoll. Ravi’s companions clearly had no idea that it would go down this way; they are all silent, empty of encouragement for him. They’re abandoning him just like the cowards, they too, are.

 

Taemin pulls until Ravi slumps over onto his back. There is no regret at being defeated, no acceptance of Taemin’s skill in his opponent’s eyes, only a profound fear at having finally met his end.

 

“Please,” Ravi wheezes, tears falling from the corners of his eyes, “ _Please_ …”

 

Taemin doesn’t think of the numerous scars on his body, the cracks in his bones, the feel of Ravi’s fists like permanent imprints along his skin. His loathing for them was the first thing he was ordered to let go of when he began training under his mentor. Taemin was full of anger, hated the idea that Ravi had some role in creating him, while Siwon had taught him to be neutral instead.

 

 _“Don’t let him take up your headspace,”_ he’d said, _“Accept the obstacle he played in your development and let him go. If you don’t, you’re going to carry him with you for the rest of your life.”_

He feels nothing now as he looks down into Ravi’s eyes. He puts his foot on Ravi’s throat.

 

“No, please,” Ravi whimpers, “Please don’t…”

 

Taemin lifts his foot, and Ravi screams as he brings his heel down with full force, crushing his larynx and breaking his neck in the process.

 

As an Elder climbs into the ring to check Ravi, Taemin looks to where Siwon is standing and sees Key, Minho, Jonghyun and Onew with him. They all appear relieved it’s over, while Taemin just feels empty. He’s trained hard for this moment and now that it’s finally come, he finds he’s bored.

 

The Elder raises his hand, confirming Taemin’s kill and the hall erupts with noise of elation. Taemin looks around at those who are cheering and realizes they aren’t doing so because Ravi’s dead, like the barbarians he’d always believed. Instead, they are celebrating Taemin’s success at passing into the next stage of his Sicarii life. He feels grown up, as the High Elder, Siwon, Key, Minho, Onew and even Jonghyun applaud his victory, smiling back at him with relief and pride and something familial that wears a little at Taemin’s hardened outer shell.

 

Onew puts a hand on him as he climbs down and pulls him into an embrace. Taemin’s tense at the contact but he’s not angry at the invasion of his personal space, and he even allows Key and Minho to hug him too. Jonghyun bows his head in a nod, which is about as much congratulations as he’s ever going to get from the guy but he’s okay with that. Siwon slaps him on the shoulder, then yanks him into a hug, holding him close for as long as he can get away with.

 

“C’mon, you knew I’d do it,” Taemin says, holding Siwon’s upper arms for stability as his mentor starts swaying him gently, “Don’t cry. You’re gonna make me more uncomfortable than I already am.”

 

Siwon pulls away with a laugh and squeezes Taemin’s shoulders, but his eyes are already a little teary.

 

“This is only the beginning,” Siwon says, though it doesn’t sound encouraging or proud.

 

The look in Siwon’s eyes speaks of sadness, and worry, like a promise that one day Taemin will carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Taemin understands his mentor well enough to know he’s not playing around, and a dark pit begins to grow in his stomach.

 

 

 

 

Taemin gets addressed by the High Elder and she throws him straight into the title of second rank, which permits him to train with real weapons. His new training as a member of the Order is more intense, though he thrives at being pushed again. His kin are also levels ahead of anything he’d seen before his Parem Bellum, and he finds being in an environment where everyone is willing to help each other be a better fighter is strangely promising. It seems the Parem Bellum also does wonders at knocking the ego out of a person, because the Order works on a brotherhood mentality. Taemin’s not into it, but he understands that on the front lines of war, brotherhood has its use.

 

The Order is also drastically smaller in numbers.

 

“Training with real weapons tends to cause accidents,” Siwon tells him grimly, “Some can’t handle the training. Some decide this isn’t the life they want, so they end it. Others…”

 

Siwon closes his mouth and looks away, and Taemin feels the dark pit in his stomach again. There’s something his mentor isn’t telling him.

 

Siwon pulls at the grass beside him where they sit beneath the huge Manchurian maple tree they frequent on their down time, and he points at the ground near the roots. In a quiet voice, he tells Taemin that if anything ever happens to him, that he’s to come back to the tree. Taemin wants to ask why, but figures it’s just the personal code Siwon abides by that colors his words: _Obey, but never trust_.

 

 

 

 

Taemin grows even stronger, faster and more impressive as the years pass. His talent with weaponry proves vastly superior to other members of the Order, as natural as an extension of himself. He favors the Katana sword and the Sai blades, and his Silat style enables his ability to use them in unconventional ways.

 

He showcases abilities in areas of leadership and loyalty to the Sicarii Creed, which is enough to get him promoted to fifth rank, but having already mastered weaponry under Siwon’s teaching, he’s directly promoted to sixth – the first Order member ever to do so before his twentieth year. His new rank comes with a new training location at the foot of the mountain, where he sets his eyes on a vehicle for the first time.

 

There is a lot of change that follows. Onew, Key, Minho and Jonghyun, are promoted to sixth rank shortly after, while Siwon’s promotion to Master means he’ll lead them all through their next phase of training.

 

Over the course of the next year, he gives each of them defensive driving lessons on the tracks at the mountain’s base, a skill they will need for any missions they may be sent on. They are taught to use various equipment – radios, scanners, computers, cellphones – and they would all feel alien to Taemin if he hadn’t read his way through the library growing up. Siwon explains they are all necessary, potentially life-saving pieces of equipment that are strictly for mission purposes.

 

Taemin enters his twenty first year, while Onew enters his twenty fifth, which makes him eligible to partake in the Genesis rituals. Jonghyun lavishes Onew with inappropriate talk of how he’ll get to spend a steamy night with a Priestess while Minho looks on, mildly scandalized at the idea. Taemin knows the next generation need to be created, though he has no will to partake when his own time comes. Onew isn’t enthused at the idea either, but when Taemin catches him glancing at Key out of the corner of his eye, he knows it’s for other reasons entirely.

 

Siwon fulfilled that particular obligation two years ago, so Taemin asks of his stance on the matter and how he went about it. His mentor answers him in a brisk way that leaves no room for questioning. _What does or doesn’t happen in that room, stays in that room._ Taemin reads between the lines and is surprised to learn that someone of Siwon’s stature chose to rebel.

 

On the night, Taemin gets dragged to Key’s room where he, Minho and Jonghyun are getting drunk on rice wine stolen from the dining hall kitchen. Key is over-the-top chipper, laughing and play fighting with Minho but Taemin knows there are sorrows – probably regarding Onew’s current whereabouts – that he is trying desperately to drown.

 

He distracts himself by pulling out his pack of tarot cards and throwing them at Taemin.

 

“Shuffle,” he demands, “I’ll read you.”

 

Taemin does as he’s told, purely because he doesn’t think he could handle it if Key lets his emotions get the better of him. Once he’s handed them back, Key places three cards down on the floor between them. Minho and Jonghyun shift over to get a look, having stopped their argument about the causes and probabilities of decapitation. Key flips the first card. Five of Pentacles.

 

“Well, ain’t that the truth,” Key scoffs, “Your past has been rigged with hardships and rejections.”

 

“ _But you pulled on through!_ ” Minho crows, thrusting his glass into the air.

 

Taemin rolls his eyes, “If anything is rigged, it’s your _cards_.”

 

“Whatever, _killjoy_ ,” Key prods at him and almost loses his balance, clearly intoxicated. He turns the next card over, “Two of Wands! At present, _Taemin’s doing well!_ ”

 

While Taemin once read a book on the tarot, he’ll readily admit to only skimming through a lot of its contents. He does, however, remember the Two of Wands. Aside from taking bold risks and expressing originality, the meaning of the card spoke of personal power, the ability to command attention and respect from those around you and the power to achieve one’s goals. He may not believe that pieces of paper can tell a person about themselves, but the meaning of that particular card resonated with him enough to remember it.

 

Jonghyun rolls his eyes and downs the rest of his glass as Key makes the connection between the displayed card and Taemin’s achievements, “Boring. _Next_.”

 

Key throws a book at Jonghyun’s head, “I’m being the all-seeing Key. _Fuck_ _you_.”

 

Jonghyun barks a laugh, “Oh, we all know I’m not the one you want to _ffhhmmp_ \-----!”

 

Minho slaps a hand over Jonghyun’s mouth and wrangles him into a headlock, “Hurry up, Kibummie. _Next_.”

 

Taemin’s future card is the Knight of Cups, and Key leans forward, looking like he’s finally found a card worth reading, “There’s a _man_ on the horizon.”

 

Taemin deadpans, “You’re a fraud.”

 

“And he’s Princely. Sensitive. _Heroic_.”

 

Jonghyun’s now rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter.

 

“Knight of Cups means he’s imaginative, so he sees what others don’t,” Key tells Taemin seriously, “His sensitive nature means he has the ability to help and protect others, physically and emotionally. He’s also incredibly introspective. He’s always questioning things and trying to understand, so he’s always looking for ways to improve.”

 

Minho taps Key’s shoulder, “Pick another card.”

 

“ _Why_ ,” Taemin growls.

 

Key tosses another card down next to the Knight, and it’s the King of Swords. Key and Minho both gape, completely engrossed in Taemin’s reading.

 

“That’sit,” he gets to his feet, having had enough, “I’m out.”

 

Minho grabs a hold of Taemin’s pants, “No, wait.”

 

“This future man is also honest and ethical,” Key goes on, “He’s a King of sorts, perhaps a leader, and he fights for what is right.”

 

“ _Quick_ ,” Minho says, even as Taemin tugs his leg out of Minho’s grip.

 

Key throws down another card, and it’s the Seven of Swords. Taemin remembers this one too, because it represents running away, hiding, secrets and lies. Everything he _doesn’t_ want.

 

Key looks up at him, his expression sobering, “He’s going to make you run.”

 

Taemin gives them all a firm _goodnight_ before he leaves.

 

 

 

Taemin is twenty two years old when he becomes the youngest Sicarii warrior in history to be promoted to Master rank. He spends the next few months being ridiculed by Jonghyun for being the object of the High Elder’s favoritism, but he outgrew petty insults years ago so he lets Jonghyun vent his frustrations at his own shortcomings all he likes. Jonghyun’s attitude problem isn’t about him, after all.

 

The Rank system is difficult to get through, even for the talented. Most members of the Order go as far as they can and never quite make the cut, while others prefer to sit at lower ranks. To be a Master means to be sent out into the field; to possible death at the hands of an Artifact.

 

Onew had been made Master a few months prior to Taemin, having showed exceptional battle skill and logic. Taemin has seen him in action and agrees with the promotion whole-heartedly. But then, Jonghyun, Key and Minho are also suddenly promoted to Master rank, all within the space of a week and Taemin feels there is something they aren’t being told. Siwon’s lack of reaction to the news makes it even more suspicious.

 

Siwon escorts them to a new room at the back of the eastern caves. They pass through a wide metal corridor lined with doors they can’t see into until they reach an empty room with a large screen on the back wall. They only have to wait a few minutes before the High Elder walks in, heels thumping on the carpeted floor. She wears a dark navy jacket and skirt that showcase every curve she has, and Taemin can see Jonghyun blatantly staring at her bare legs like he’s never seen such a thing. Alarmingly, it occurs to Taemin that he may be the only one of his kin who has ever really seen her.

 

“Thank you, Siwon,” she says, and his mentor gives Taemin one last look before he leaves the room and closes the door behind him.

 

“Initiates,” she greets them firmly, her voice lacking its usual honey-warmth, “You’ve been brought in for briefing. As the highest ranking members of the Order, you will be deployed on mission tomorrow at seven hundred hours.”

 

Taemin wants to know why Siwon isn’t a part of this, and she obliges him with an answer, “Siwon is exempt from active duty effective immediately. I believe his exceptional teaching nature will be a great asset to the raising of the next generation, so he will remain behind in a permanent trainer position.”

 

Taemin’s suspicions are suddenly justified, and he feels the air shift nervously around the others as the news rattles them. Siwon’s service discharge is bad enough, but the confirmation of a mission can only mean one thing – an Artifact has arrived on earth.

 

The last Sicarii mission was twenty two years ago – the same mission that claimed the life of Taemin’s father. Every generation since has trained under the assumption that they may be the next warriors called upon, when in fact Artifact sightings are so rare that the majority of Sicarii will live their lives only ever reading accounts of them. Taemin’s father Ryong-Chul was lucky – or unlucky, as the case may be – to come into contact with five of them in his short life, the time of the great Influx as the journals called it. At the time it had been a cause for worry, but as the years ticked by with no news, the Sicarii had fallen back into their safety net.

 

Taemin considers himself fortunate that the young men beside him all took their training so seriously. He’d be going out on his own if they hadn’t. 

 

Calypso touches the big screen and it lights up with a map of Korea.

 

“Artifact activity has been detected in our neck of the woods. Right _here_ ,” she taps the red spot and a box lights up.

 

_Gyeongsang Province, South Korea._

“What kind of activity?” Jonghyun asks, “Is the guy playing hacky sack or what?”

 

“Power,” Taemin cuts in, having remembered his readings of the journals, “The Artifact is using its power.”

 

“It creates an electromagnetic pulse,” Onew adds, directing his knowledge to his peers, “We have beacons all over the world that are able to detect it.”

 

“Correct,” Calypso says, tapping the map in several places, “Beacons were tripped here, here, here, here and here. The strongest point of contact was the beacon nearest Gyeongsang.”

 

“So, this thing is powerful,” Minho states with a little trepidation.

 

“Very,” Calypso replies, “Which is why you’ll go for the indirect kill. Each of you will be issued XS50s and sniper rounds as well as your signature weapons. You’ll track, confirm and kill the target, and only when the kill is confirmed will you move in to dispose of them. Your safety is priority before anything else.”

 

“Well, that sounds like _great_ fun,” Jonghyun says, giving her the up-down, “But you’re giving us orders and we have no idea who the hell you are.”

 

It seems Taemin _is_ the only one who has ever laid eyes on her. He sees the corner of her mouth lift in a smirk, and knows what’s coming.

 

“I’m your High Elder,” Calypso says, leveling Jonghyun with a stare so hostile that it actually makes him shift uneasily. When the words register, he clasps his hands together and bows his head respectfully, as do the others, “And as your High Elder, I convey my deepest gratitude for the significant contribution you will make to the safety and protection of humankind.”

 

 _This is it_ , Taemin thinks. _Everything we’ve trained for._

_And so it begins._

 

 

 


	5. Threat

 

 

He’s running, his footfalls echoing against cold concrete walls. His breath burns in his throat and his heart is beating wildly in his chest and his pulse is racing in his ears and everything smells like rot and death.

 

He sees dark blurs up ahead, silhouettes standing in the light, but he comes to a standstill as he registers exactly what it is he’s seeing. The acrid stench fills his lungs like poison.

 

Bodies, all in different stages of decay, are lining the wide dank corridor like hanging ornaments. They’ve been carved and gutted, pieces of themselves rotting in putrid puddles on the concrete beneath them. Other pieces of themselves still remain – bloodied clothing, belts, jewelry made from beads and feathers…wedding rings made of steel, copper, wood.

 

He counts twenty couples, and a mother hung beside a daughter in a torn sundress, and a monk. The wooden prayer beads around his neck identify him.

 

But it’s at the end of the line that two skeletal corpses with black tarnished skin hang together like a matching set. Their clothing is old and worn from poverty, not death. Their wedding rings hang loose on their bones, made of leather cord. They’re unrecognizable, but as he feels the terror and grief rise through his chest, he _knows_ who he’s looking at.

 

 

 

 

 

Kai jolts awake.

 

It takes several moments to realize where he is, his heart thundering painfully beneath his ribs, temples damp with cold sweat. He swallows his shallow breathing down, trying not to wake the others and he sits up, glancing over the soundly sleeping bodies of his kin stretched across the floor.

 

He gently extricates himself from where D.O.’s foot is hooked over his ankle and carefully leaves the room, stepping out into the night air. He won’t be sleeping again tonight.

 

He grabs a bowl of water from the well and washes his face, throws it over the back of his neck and cleanses his wrists and collarbones as he attempts to pull himself together.

 

What was originally going to be an overnight stay turned into another, then another, and now almost a month later Kai and his brothers are still with Ms. Jang. He’s grateful in so many ways; they have a roof over their heads, they have clean clothes and Ms. Jang feeds them all like she’s trying to fatten them up. His brothers are smiling and laughing everyday, enjoying the sun, earth’s clean air, even the numerous errands and chores they complete on a daily basis.

 

But the longer they stay, Kai’s growing sense of dread gets deeper. Everyone is settling in, getting comfortable and letting their guard down which wouldn’t be a problem if Kai weren’t being crippled by nightmares every night. His lack of sleep is taking its toll on him, physically and mentally; concentration on even the most mundane of tasks is difficult to sustain and he’s well aware his new livewire attitude has the others walking on eggshells around him. He fears that he is no longer fit to protect them all.

 

He finds his reflection in the water and contemplates his haggard appearance, wondering if the others see what he sees. His skin feels worn, like he’s aged ten years while his eyes feel pinched with exhaustion, looking sad, haunted, his innocence gone. He barely recognizes himself. He feels utterly hollow, lost for the answers he needs.

 

“Out here again?”

 

Kai looks over his shoulder and sees Ms. Jang carefully stepping out of the house, balancing a tray in her hands. He immediately goes to her, taking the tray and setting it on the resting bench before he helps her step down from the deck.

 

He releases her hand when she’s seated, “Couldn’t sleep.”

 

“You can’t sleep a lot these days,” she murmurs, giving him a knowing side-eye glance. She gestures for him to join her.

 

Kai sits down opposite her on the other side of the bench and folds his legs up. She’s clearly waiting for an explanation but true to her nature, she doesn’t push. She pours him a cup of tea and places it in his hands. Ms. Jang still rolls her eyes at him a lot and she still treats him like the black sheep of the group, but she’s kind and she worries, and it’s more than Kai could have hoped for.

 

“I have nightmares,” he says, and he takes a sip of tea to fill the silence that follows.

 

“I know,” she says, pointing at his cup, “That’s why I made you passionflower tea, you stupid boy.”

 

Kai looks into his cup, surprised, “You knew?”

 

“Of course I knew. Your grumpiness isn’t exactly subtle either but I figured whatever you’ve been through has earned you the right to some patience,” she points at his cup again, “It normally helps with sleep, but I made it strong enough to knock you right out. You won’t be dreaming _anything_ on this stuff.”

 

A rather resounding pang hits him in his chest like a ball of grief and gratitude all at once, and he can’t get his mouth to form a thank you that’s sufficient enough. They sit in companionable silence for a long time, drinking their tea and listening to the night insects in the stillness. Ms. Jang likes to act as if Kai is a hindrance to her daily routine, but these days he knows it is more out of affection. He hasn’t felt this comforted by someone’s presence in a long time.

 

Eventually he speaks again. He feels like he owes her an explanation considering how patient and hospitable she has been with them, so he decides to give her as much of the truth as he can get away with.

 

“My brothers and I…we aren’t brothers.”

 

Ms. Jang, of course, sighs like he’s an idiot, “Aigooo, _I’m so shocked_.”

 

Kai sees Ms. Jang cock her eyebrows at him and he cracks a tiny smile.

 

“We were…born into a community of sorts. We experienced a lot of hardships together so we grew close. The…people around us had plans for us but it all went wrong,” He speaks tentatively, trying to find ways around the truth without resorting to a lie.

 

Ms. Jang listens to him patiently and waits for his next set of words. She’s clearly willing to listen to whatever he needs to say and there is no judgment on her face, nothing that makes him think he should close his mouth.

 

“We had been separated from our parents and I tried to track them down but when I found them…when I found them…” he stops as his voice breaks, and tears spring to his eyes.

 

Ms. Jang appears as if she’s pieced his story together in her own way and gazes at him with renewed sympathy. Kai takes a moment to push back the memories and compose himself, though he struggles to do so.

 

“And you escaped?” Ms. Jang asks quietly.

 

Kai nods and blinks the tears back, unwilling to allow the floodgates free reign, “I don’t know what to do now. We’re on our own in this completely different world and I just don’t know what to do.”

 

He looks to Ms. Jang, feeling utterly lost, “What am I supposed to do?”

 

She takes a deep breath and sighs, “What you’re going to do is finish your tea and go back to sleep.”

 

It’s not like he expected real answers to his problems, but her words only make the emptiness in his chest feel more profound. He’d hoped just once in his life there would be an easy fix, that perhaps this miraculous planet and it’s wonderfully strange people would know what to do.

 

Ms. Jang reaches over to pat his hand, giving it a squeeze, “Don’t you worry. A good night’s sleep will make tomorrow feel brighter, even if just a little.”

 

With a heavy sigh, Kai swallows the rest of his tea and carries the tray back into the house, then returns to help Ms. Jang up the step. He goes to follow her into the kitchen, intent on washing the teapot but she pats his arm and sends him to bed. He watches her tinker around for a while, ensuring she’s okay and returns to bed only when she switches the light off.

 

He lies back down in his designated spot and D.O.’s foot finds its way around his ankle again, like it’s been waiting in his absence. He closes his eyes and concentrates on lowering his heart rate, empties his mind, wills his muscles slack and within a couple of minutes he’s asleep.

 

 

 

 

The sun’s heat and light on his face brings him around sometime later. His ears begin to tune into the noises outside; birds, water, the slop of wet fabric, Chanyeol’s whistling, Baekhyun’s mischievous giggling, Tao’s disgruntlement. He peers around the room and finds it completely empty save for himself, his blanket and his sleeping mat. He pulls himself up with great effort, feeling sluggish and heavily rested, and he wanders through the sunlit doorway to greet everyone.

 

His brothers are washing clothes in the yard, working and playing happily. Chanyeol is scrubbing clothing on the washboard, barefoot with his pants rolled up to his knees. D.O. looks much the same as he stands in a plastic tub of water and soap, pounding sheets with his feet. Chen and Suho work together to wring water out of washed blankets and Luhan and Xiumin scrub sleeping mats while Lay and Sehun hang everything on the line. Tao is stirring clothes in a tub with his hands, and even after a month he still looks like he’s never lifted a finger in the name of work before. Baekhyun is crouched beside him, his wet finger getting dangerously closer and closer to Tao’s ear----

 

“YAH!” Tao cries, rubs frantically at his ear and shoves a cackling Baekhyun so hard that he lands on his back in the grass, “Why?! _WHY_.”

 

It’s D.O. that looks up and sees Kai first, “Finally. We were beginning to think you’d sleep the day away.”

 

Kai gets a look at the sun’s position in the sky and determines with great alarm that it’s almost noon, “Why didn’t you wake me?”

 

“Ms. Jang told us to let you sleep,” Chanyeol pipes up, “Bring me your bed stuff. I’ll wash it for you.”

 

“Don’t you dare give me your dirty clothes, I’m almost done,” Tao grumbles with a glare.

 

The look on Kai’s face – whatever it is – has Tao immediately backtracking.

 

“I’ll wash them myself, princess,” Kai says, turning toward the house.

 

 

Kai heads inside to shower and changes into the sweatpants and t-shirt Ms. Jang had bought him on their third day. He takes a moment to appreciate the softness and comfort of them. They smell like Ms. Jang’s washing soap and the japchae she’d made for dinner last night. It’s not the smell of his mother’s morning hugs and the red dirt drawings she’d painted on his bedroom walls, but it feels the same. He feels the familiar ache of yearning and sadness as he does everyday, and he forces himself to join the others before he can dwell on it.

 

Chanyeol helps him wash his clothes, having already hung his washed bedding over the top of the fence.

 

“You don’t have to,” Kai tells him.

 

“The sooner we’re done, the sooner we eat,” Chanyeol answers with a smile, “I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing this for my stomach.”

 

Chanyeol’s selfless, helpful nature is truer than his words and Kai can see straight through his attempt to unburden him.

 

“Plus I want to. I also want to tell you that if there’s anything you need, brother,” Chanyeol adds quietly, looking into Kai’s eyes, “Just say the word. Whatever it is that’s weighing on you, I can help you carry it. Do I need to throw your own words back at you?”

 

It takes him a moment to remember how he’d once comforted Chanyeol upon his arrival in the palace back on their mother planet, when the burden of his new training had become too much. He’d told Chanyeol that he wasn’t alone, that they were all in it together in an effort to give him some peace of mind, some semblance of security.

 

“I’m fine,” Kai replies, suddenly focusing on his shirt.

 

“Okay then,” Chanyeol sighs, dropping the subject reluctantly.

 

Kai switches topics, “What _is_ for lunch?”

 

Chanyeol swoons dreamily, “Ms. Jang’s salmon kimbap. She’s totally spoiling us.”

 

“Where is she anyway?”

 

“She went into the village,” he replies, “She’ll be back this afternoon.”

 

“And she went by herself?”

 

Chanyeol must catch the ill-concealed worry in his voice, “Lay offered to go with her but she said it was a personal errand.”

 

 

 

They break for lunch half an hour later after Kai takes it upon himself to wash Ms. Jang’s bedding. They all sit in a circle on the lawn as they eat the special salmon kimbap she had prepared for them before she left. With a solid ten hours of miraculous sleep behind him, Kai’s spirits are marginally better and he finds the taste of his kimbap roll to be the best he’s had yet. It fills him up and leaves him satisfied, while his can of soda water pleasantly tingles inside his stomach, energizing him.

 

They venture down into the large vegetable garden behind the house and spend the afternoon pulling weeds and tending to the plants. They also pick apples from the trees at the very back of the property, taking their time to enjoy the sun and play when they can. Kai sits back and listens to the relaxed, carefree laughter of his brothers with a mix of contentment and trepidation. He just can’t let himself go the way the others have. He’s too tainted by the things he’s seen and too heavy with responsibility.

 

They retreat to the house to wash their collection of fruit and Suho and Chen decide to start dinner in Ms. Jang’s absence, hoping to surprise her when she returns. Kai looks at the clock and observes the darkening of the pink sky outside, wondering where she is and why she hasn’t come home. As the minutes pass by, he can’t shake the worry that tugs at the bottom of his heart and he grabs his coat, heading for the door.

 

“I’m going out to look for Ms. Jang,” he tells them, “See if I can meet her on the way.”

 

“Do you think something’s happened to her?” Luhan asks, and now that it has been said out loud, the others all appear just as concerned.

 

Kai slides his boots on, “I don’t know.”

 

“I’ll come with you,” Lay hands his bowl of salad over to Sehun, “You might need me.”

 

Sehun goes to pass the salad to D.O., “I’m coming too.”

 

Kai shakes his head, thinking of several scenarios they could potentially walk into and he simply doesn’t have the time to accommodate Sehun’s need to be attached to Lay at every possible opportunity, “No. The faster we find her, the better.”

 

Sehun objects, “But I---”

 

“I’m not arguing with you,” Kai snaps, “You’re _staying_ , end of story.”

 

Lay has Sehun backing down with a simple touch to his shoulder and the two of them leave the premises, shrugging their coats on.

 

 

 

Together they travel along the lone farm road leading out of the settlement. Kai squints on reflex, trying to see as far along as he can in the growing darkness. The air is cooler now and there is no approaching traffic to be seen, no signs of life. He’s not sure if it’s a comfort or a cause for concern.

 

“You didn’t have to talk to Sehun that way,” Lay says, walking beside him.

 

“I didn’t want to waste time,” Kai replies, “I had no choice but to be short with him.”

 

“You’ve been awfully short with everybody lately.”

 

Kai sighs, “I’m not discussing this right now.”

 

“Well, you’re gonna have to eventually,” Lay says firmly, and it’s enough to make Kai want to back down under the older boy’s authority, “It’s causing tension among the others---”

 

Kai stops in the middle of the road, turning on him, “You’re the last person I’d want to start yelling at, but what the hell do you expect from me? We’ve all been through a lot so I understand why everybody is getting comfortable, but what if something bad happens? Who does that fall on? _Me,_ that’s who. I am just trying to keep everyone safe.”

 

“From _what_ , Kai?” Lay asks, and the question is simple enough but it leaves him stumped for an answer.

 

Kai blinks, his chest falling and rising with barely suppressed frustration, “Anything. _Everything_.”

 

Even in the darkness, Kai can see Lay’s empathy.

 

“That’s a big job for one person, man,” Lay says, “You can’t carry us all on your shoulders like that and none of us expect you to.”

 

“Well, I’d really like to let loose and enjoy myself and feel safe like the rest of you,” Kai bites back, but Lay’s attention suddenly veers off in the distance and he feels like his very real concerns are falling on deaf ears, “But _someone_ needs to keep their ear to the ground. And if I don’t do it, who will?”

 

Lay touches his arm, his tone one of warning, “Kai.”

 

“ _What._ ”

 

“I think it’s her,” Lay says quietly. Kai turns to look in the same direction and sees the faint shine of moonlight on the side of the road further down. As they start to move closer, they both notice it’s the outline of a van. A van that appears to be crashed in the ditch. A van that happens to look a lot like Ms. Jang’s.

 

Suddenly sensing something else, Lay starts running. Kai takes off a moment later, panicking when he realizes the true extent of the scene he is now looking at.

 

He sprints so fast that he overtakes Lay and has to catch himself on side of the van in order to stop. Lay arrives seconds after and they both stare at Ms. Jang, unconscious in the driver’s seat.

 

Kai’s breath shudders out of him, “Is she…?”

 

“No,” Lay yanks the driver’s door open with force and reaches in to touch her face, feeling blood, “She’s still breathing.”

 

Kai grips Ms. Jang’s arm with one hand and the van’s doorframe in the other, and Lay grabs the collar of Kai’s coat when he’s ordered to hold on. He knows he shouldn’t, but they can’t see enough in the dark and it’s an emergency and it’s _Ms. Jang_. He takes a deep breath, focusing on getting back to the house and teleports.

 

 

 

They arrive in the dirt driveway, vehicle intact, and Kai reaches in to release Ms. Jang’s seatbelt. He peers over at the nearest house down the road, checking to see if they’ve caught anyone’s attention before he gets his arms under Ms. Jang’s armpits and pulls her from the driver’s seat. Lay takes her legs and they move inside the house as quickly as possible.

 

The others leap to their feet when they come through the door, silent with shock. Suho immediately grabs the throw from the back of the sofa and spreads it on the floor for them to lay her down, and Sehun takes off for the kitchen when Lay orders him to get a cloth and a bowl of warm water.

 

Baekhyun passes a cushion to Kai and he fits it beneath Ms. Jang’s head, “What happened?”

 

Lay connects to her, trying to sense the damage in her body and his hand gently hovers near her heart, “She must have suffered a heart attack.”

 

Kai observes Lay’s face, trying to read him, “How serious?”

 

“She’s been weak for a long time so I’ve been keeping an eye on her,” Lay says with a shake of his head, “It’s caused a lot of damage.”

 

“Can you heal it?”

 

“Temporarily,” Lay answers, looking at Kai regretfully, “But age isn’t something I can fix.”

 

Kai glances down, sensing the sudden stillness of his brothers in the room and he meets Ms. Jang’s eyes, open and staring back at him in a way she hasn’t before. She’s frightened, and Kai panics, wondering how much of their conversation she has heard because she’s looking at him like she’s waiting for his decision to save her or leave her be.

 

Lay turns to him with apprehension, “Kai.”

 

Kai’s gaze shifts back and forth between Lay and Ms. Jang, and then the rest of his brothers waiting with baited breath. Using their power on a human being was never on the cards, and he has no idea of the ramifications it’ll cause them. That familiar feeling of dread throbs inside him, and it’s with great sadness that he realizes their time with Ms. Jang is coming to an end. If Lay heals her, they’re exposed and if they’re exposed, they’ll need to move on. And Kai has no clue as to where they’ll end up.

 

He looks to Ms. Jang, the grumpy but kind, warm, caring woman who took them in against all logic, and his resolve is made, “Do everything you can.”

 

Lay slides his hand just inside her blouse and rests it on her heart, skin to skin, and closes his eyes. Ms. Jang tenses at the intrusive contact, but her gaze goes to him in surprise, as if he’s speaking to her in some way no one else can hear. Kai watches cautiously for signs that Lay’s power is overwhelming her, or worse, _harming_ her, but thankfully her clipped breathing becomes deeper and fuller and the color returns to her cheeks. The transformation is quick, and Ms. Jang appears more alert and relaxed all at once, like her body is working comfortably again.

 

The gash along her hairline knits back together as Lay opens his eyes. Ms. Jang lies in silence, staring at Lay in the same awed fashion as the world people of Exo Planet once did. The tension in the room is palpable while Kai and his brothers await her reaction nervously. It takes several moments but when she’s ready, she lifts a trembling hand towards Lay’s face. He closes the distance and allows her to touch his cheek.

 

She releases a shuddering breath and Kai sees her tears welling up, “You…you’re…you’re not from around here…are you?”

 

Lay takes her hand and leans his cheek against it, his expression gentle, “No, Ms. Jang. We’re not.”

 

 

 

They get her situated on the sofa with a blanket and Luhan takes it upon himself to clean her up, wiping the blood off her face in careful strokes while Lay and Sehun sit with her. Suho gets her a glass of water and Chen brings her a bowl of the chicken broth he and Suho had prepared for dinner. Ms. Jang doesn’t quite know how to deal with the sudden attention and tells them all to stop.

 

Eventually everything comes out. They gather around her and take turns answering her questions; where they come from, what their purpose was, their abilities, how their world worked. Kai remains silent, trying to piece together a plan for what they do next. He can barely make out their conversations through his tumultuous thoughts but he hears mention of the World King and his cruelty and he has to leave the room before he hits something.

 

Xiumin finds him outside a little while later when everyone breaks away for bed and he hands Kai a cup of tea as he sits down beside him.

 

When Kai stares at it questioningly, Xiumin nudges it into his hand.

 

“Ms. Jang had Suho make it for you,” he says, and Kai’s throat tightens with stifled emotion when he catches its scent: _Passionflower_.

 

He breathes calmly until the discomfort in his throat subsides, “How is she?”

 

“She’s gone to bed. Lay and Sehun are staying with her tonight, just to be safe,” Xiumin replies, “Are you okay?”

 

Kai doesn’t really know what he can say that won’t sound like a lie.

 

“We can’t stay here,” Kai tells him.

 

“Says who?”

 

“She knows what we are, Xiumin.”

 

“She thinks we’re _angels_ , Kai,” Xiumin says, “You and Lay saved her life. Not only is she grateful, but she’s also talking about helping us to assimilate.”

 

Kai frowns, “How?”

 

Xiumin shakes his head, “I don’t know the logistics but she knows someone that can register us as a part of society. _We’d actually become people of Earth_.”

 

Kai takes a moment to let that sink in. It’s probably the best option they’ve been presented so far and he knows it’ll help them further down the line, but he’s been burned enough by his own governing system to be wary of Earth’s policies.

 

“Being registered means we can be tracked.”

 

“Being _un_ registered means we can be locked up and interrogated. Which would you rather have?” Xiumin replies.

 

“And what then?” Kai asks, “We get jobs, make money, buy houses, have families? Where on this planet could we possibly do that?”

 

“It’d get us the job and the money we need to buy a house in the middle of nowhere so we can grow old and die, just as you wish,” Xiumin answers, though he doesn’t sound enthused at the idea and Kai realizes for the first time that, leader or not, his opinion on where they go from here may not coincide with the opinions of his brothers.

 

“What do you want to do then, huh?” he asks tiredly, genuinely exhausted at the lack of resolution he always seems to come to, “Tell me honestly.”

 

“Honestly?” Xiumin thinks for a moment, and when he speaks again, it’s with gravitas, “I just want to be free to live and make my own mistakes.”

 

Kai thinks of the control they lived under back on Exo Planet, then he thinks of his cage of responsibility here on Earth and gives a derisive sigh, “Don’t we all.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kai stares at the device Ms. Jang thrusts into his hand two days later.

 

“It’s a _cellphone_ ,” Ms. Jang states with great sarcasm, “Don’t tell me you didn’t have them on your planet.”

 

“We did,” Luhan answers politely in his place, “but it’s been awhile.”

 

Ms. Jang observes them all with faint disbelief.

 

She goes on to explain that the cellphone is to help them stay in touch in case of emergency, and that Lay and Sehun’s trip with her to the city today was for the sole purpose of getting advice on how to get each of their affairs in order. Kai is immediately alarmed that she has brought someone else into their mess, but he’s marginally relieved to learn that she’d asked under the pretense of what she’d originally believed of Kai’s diluted version of their story – that instead of being extraterrestrial entities, they’d escaped some form of _cult_.

 

She hands them each a birth registration form that she’d collected on their behalf and asks them all to complete them to the best of their ability. Kai looks over his sheet with caution, seeing fields he needs to fill in like his date of birth, place of birth, parents names and it _hurts_ , hurts to know that he must truly leave behind his old existence, his old roots in order to preserve his safety now.

 

It’s a time of learning.

 

As they sit around in the living room and discuss what they should write down, Ms. Jang acts as a translator, taking in what they already know and helping to form new identities from them. They’d been schooled early on to drop any connections from their pre-royal lives upon entering their time in the palace, so Kai now learns things about his brothers that he hadn’t previously known.

 

For instance, their true birth names.

 

“ _Minseok?!_ ” Baekhyun exclaims outrageously before he throws himself down on the floor and proceeds to flail about in a mess of hysterical laughter.

 

Xiumin frowns, like the taste of his birth name feels weird in his mouth, and Kai realizes it probably doesn’t sound the same as it did back home, “Xiumin is a name I got in the military. My real name, it’s…in this language it’s Minseok.”

 

Baekhyun’s holding his stomach and _crying_ now, and Chanyeol casually reaches over to close his hand over Baekhyun’s mouth.

 

Kai thinks of his true birth name and suddenly sees what Xiumin means. It sounds different in his head now that their internal language has adapted to their new environment. It pains him to know the name his parents gave him so lovingly is now gone, forever to be replaced with something alien. Ms. Jang must notice the change in mood and goes about turning it into something positive. She tells each of them what their names mean here on Earth, and it goes a long way in comforting them.

 

“What about me, halmeoni?” Baekhyun asks Ms. Jang cheekily, “Byun Baekhyun.”

 

“Byun doesn’t mean much,” Ms. Jang counters, “But Baekhyun means wise and virtuous.”

 

Baekhyun looks upon his brothers with a new smugness but it’s instantaneously cut down when Tao squeals ‘ _Wise and virtuous_ _my ass!’_ and begins the chorus of roaring laughter that follows.

 

Chen takes the opportunity to ask once the room has died down again, “What about you, Kai?”

 

Kai laments his birth name and the new form it has twisted into, “Jongin. Kim Jongin.”

 

Ms. Jang nods, eyes glinting in approval, “It means you are kind and humane. A very good name indeed.”

 

“Yeah?” Kai asks, both out of hope and uncertainty.

 

“I wouldn’t lie to you,” she replies with a small reverent smile just for him.

 

They match their ages with Earth’s calendar and fill in their birthdates, and when it comes time to name their place of birth, they each write down _Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea._ It’s only fitting after all – their new lives began the day they arrived on Earth. They’re instructed to leave their parent’s names vacant, as there’s no one in the registry to tie themselves to. They’re orphans anyway, but to be registered as such breaks Kai’s heart a little more.

 

They manage to fill in the rest with only a few minor white lies, but things get a little muddled when it comes to fingerprints and blood type. Tao visibly pales when Ms. Jang pulls individual blood test kits from a paper bag, having bought them as not to potentially expose their otherworldly identities to the authorities. Kai is grateful for her thoughtfulness but ultimately uncomfortable with the money she’s spending on them, but she fires back that she’s still alive because of them and effectively ends that train of thought.

 

Kai has no idea what kind of red flags their DNA could raise, or whether they have fingerprints that fit within the human system, but Ms. Jang reaffirms that the woman she personally knows at the city office is practically family; either way it goes, they have no need to worry.

 

He offers himself as the guinea pig, thinking that if something happens and he’s somehow exposed to Earth’s officials, they can chase him to the ends of the world and he’ll never get caught.

 

After adding a drop of water to each of the four test card boxes, Ms. Jang wipes his finger with the alcohol pad. Tao’s beside himself with panic, looking like he’s seconds away from passing out when she pricks his finger with the lancet. She starts collecting his blood with four individual swab sticks, and transfers his blood to the test card. Lay heals his finger without a word while she confers with the color chart for his results.

 

Everyone waits nervously. Kai half expects his blood to change form or color in some immense way that’ll leave no doubt about him being an alien species, and he’s already deciding that Chanyeol will have to incinerate everything in his kit to destroy the evidence when Ms. Jang looks back at him.

 

“Blood type A,” she says.

 

Kai pauses for a moment, “What does that mean?”

 

She shows him his test card and taps her finger on the chart, “According to this, you’re just as human as I am.”

 

The others immediately look to him in unison.

 

“That…” he huffs out of disbelief and frustration, “That _can’t be_.”

 

She hands him his card. He stares at it like he’s trying to confirm whether she’s playing him or not, and he suddenly remembers something Linka once said that he’d been too young to understand; that his biological makeup wasn’t just different to Earth inhabitants, but different to the biology of his own people.

 

 _“That’s what makes you so unique,”_ she had said excitedly, _“Your basic DNA is designed to protect you in ways we don’t even understand yet. It explains why you’ve never been touched by disease or illness despite the fact you grew up heavily exposed to it. With more time we can study and determine how it works. Your genetic code could save the lives of thousands, Kai. Even millions.”_

 

It’s difficult for him to wrap his head around, but he thinks it’s possible his own DNA is protecting him even now. He remembers some of Jin’s last words to him, saying that his biology would adapt to Earth’s atmosphere, and he wonders if that’s why they are able to converse with humans in their own language.

 

“Huh,” he says faintly, lost for real words.

 

He stops hearing anything around him after Baekhyun starts chirping ‘ _Do me next, me me me’,_ retreating back into his own thoughts. The name his parents gave him is gone. The blood they bore him into is gone. He knows he’s been given a second chance to live the life of a normal human being, but it only feels like he’s been sucker punched.

 

He looks at the excited and hopeful faces of his brothers and feels like he’s betraying them.

 

 

 

It’s a few days later when Ms. Jang takes them into the city to finalize their paperwork. The young woman she knows at the city office is so awed by their presence that she runs them through their fingerprints without question, pausing every now and then to tell them how handsome they are and glad she is that they’re all safe and away from _those people_. Amazingly, their fingerprints don’t appear to be abnormal either.

 

Once they’re done, she gets their signatures, checks everything is in order and informs them they’ll receive their official papers in the mail within the next week. His brothers practically skip back to the bus home afterwards. Kai feels that familiar pang of dread in the pit of his stomach, stronger than ever.

 

On their way back, Ms. Jang sees them off in the village to purchase pork belly as a sort of celebratory dinner and tells them she’ll meet them at the house. His brothers take off in different directions, searching for meat while Kai trails behind, lost in his own concerns.

 

His mindlessness has him bumping into a young man on the street and he immediately apologizes, bowing his head respectfully. The same dread that has plagued him for weeks now cranks up another level as he meets the darkly suspicious gaze of the young man before him, his catlike eyes outlined in black inside the hood of his leather jacket. Kai bows again and walks away as casually as he can while he ignores the heady thump of his heartbeat in his ears.

 

It’s about twenty meters away when he realizes the hairs on the back of his neck aren’t going down.

 

He’s being followed.

 

Kai finds Suho standing at a bread stall and gets as close as he can while trying to maintain a distance.

 

“I need you to keep your eyes forward.”

 

Suho immediately tenses at his tone but obeys, “Okay.”

 

“Find Xiumin and tell him he needs to get everyone back to the house,” Kai says, quiet and low, “There’s someone following me. I’m going to shake him and double back. Do you understand?”

 

Suho swallows, “Yes.”

 

“Count five seconds and go,” Kai orders before he moves away.

 

He walks directly through the herd of people in the marketplace with the intention of putting as many obstacles between him and his pursuant as he can. He turns his head casually from side to side, pretending to observe the numerous stalls and shops while catching glimpses in his peripheral of the black hood following him.

 

He sees Suho quickly guiding Tao and Chen in search of the others, and they each look back at Kai anxiously before disappearing into the sea of market shoppers. He’s not entirely sure if it’s reason to panic yet, but he wants his brothers gone just in case.

 

Kai meanders along with the flow of the crowd as casually as possible for a good twenty minutes, allowing his brothers ample time to get away while trying not to let his follower know that he’s been spotted. He has to turn back a few times, trying not to panic when he notices he’s getting himself cornered.

 

He utilizes the passing shop windows and reflections around him to get a better look of the man following him and sees his hand by his ear and his lips moving ever so slightly. His gut twists at the realization that it’s more serious than he thought; that his mystery stalker may have reinforcements.

 

He sees Mrs. Shim’s gift store ahead, remembers the alleyway exit and knows that’s his chance. When he’s close enough, he makes a swift right turn into the store and _runs_.

 

He weaves through the aisles as fast as he can before he shoulders his way out of the back exit door and into the outside alley. He wastes no time in climbing onto the fire escape stairwell and he takes the first level four steps at a time, then jumps onto the side railing and pulls himself up along the exterior rungs, trying to disappear as quickly as possible. He makes the roof just as his mystery stalker bursts through the exit door below.

 

Kai takes a running leap onto the roof of the next building and breaks his fall with a well-timed roll. His boots crunch on the crushed cement as he twists to get a look at the young man, crouching low out of view.

 

The hooded man is taking in his surroundings slowly and thoroughly, his stance intimidating. Kai ignores the thundering in his chest while he watches him, takes in his calculating stare and his black clothing and the nimble sway of his hips as he turns on the spot. His solid footing and graceful, purposeful movements speak of big scale athletic training, and the bulk at his shoulders looks like it’s concealing weaponry. The dark cloud of his presence is vastly out of place in the village’s humble food market, and Kai can’t think of what he wants or what tipped him off but he _knows_ the guy didn’t stalk him into a back alley like a covert hitman over an accidental shoulder bump. He’s too terrified to think of the possible scenarios.

 

He wants to stay and observe, to wait for some clue as to who he is or what he wants but the man’s gaze travels up the fire escape knowingly and Kai takes that as his cue to leave.

 

He crawls away from his viewing spot and gets to his feet, then moves near the center of the building’s rooftop and teleports.

 

 

 

 

When he arrives in Ms. Jang’s living room, the floor pacing and worried conversations of his kin comes to an abrupt halt.

 

Luhan leaps up from the sofa, “Kai.”

 

Kai simply breathes for a moment, his hands trembling, trying to make sense of what he’s seen. For the life of him, he _can’t_ , but he only knows the solution to immediate danger, and it’s exactly what he was built for.

 

“We gotta go,” he says, patting his coat pockets as he stalks out of the house and into the sleep-out they’ve occupied for the last month, his brothers trailing behind him.

 

“Go where?” Xiumin asks.

 

“Anywhere. As far away from here as possible,” Kai answers, lifting and tossing his blankets and bedding aside until he finds his power glyph ring, “Grab everything you arrived with. You’ve got two minutes.”

 

“Just _wait_ a second,” Luhan snaps, pushing Kai to a stop, “Just explain what’s going on, and we can find a way.”

 

“We’ve been made,” Kai replies firmly, “I don’t know who he is or what he’s part of, but he was _hunting_ me. So we need to go, now, before we put ourselves and Ms. Jang in danger.”

 

“I don’t want to,” Luhan calls out as Kai goes to leave the room.

 

Kai turns around, both surprised and angry. His leadership role hasn’t come easy, but Luhan’s stubborn regard for authority is rearing its head at the worst possible time and he has others to think about, “What you want doesn’t matter right now. It’s not all about you.”

 

He sees their faces fall, heartbroken at the thought of leaving their new home, but he thinks of the sinking pit in his stomach and the dreaded sick feeling that has been constantly overwhelming him and he knows without a doubt that this is _why_. He almost feels sane again in his vindication, like he’s relieved to put a face to the threat.

 

“One minute,” Kai orders, unwilling to budge. He heads back into the main house where he finds Ms. Jang looking unsure of what to do, “Do you know of any abandoned buildings? Somewhere big.”

 

Ms. Jang is visibly upset, “You don’t have to leave----”

 

“Please, _please_ just tell me what I need to know,” Kai pleads quietly with her, taking her firmly by the shoulders, “We don’t have time--”

 

“But---”

 

“I _can’t_ drag you into this,” he goes on, “I have to protect my brothers and I can’t put you in danger, so just please… _please_ give me something I can work with. _Please_.”

 

The depth of sadness in Ms. Jang’s eyes almost forces Kai to call the whole thing off, but he can’t – if not for them, then for her own protection.

 

She starts stroking her old withered hands down the front of his coat, grooming him as a mother would and she sighs heavily, chin wobbling. Kai’s heart can barely take it.

 

“My old university campus in Daegu,” she says, clearing her throat and moving away to the bookcase, “It’s due for demolition next year.”

 

She tugs out her old yearbook and flicks through it until she finds a photo of the campus. The picture is over fifty years old, alive and busy with students but it’s in the same place geographically and that’s all that counts. Kai thinks of Jin and how Ms. Jang has become yet another loved one to send him away with a photo. It feels just as horrible now as it did then.

 

He focuses on the building layout and feels it slot somewhere in the map of his brain, and she goes to tear the page out but he grips her hand, unwilling to take her precious memories from her, “It’s okay, I’ve got it.”

 

He takes his power glyph ring from his pocket and holds it between his fingers. It always felt heavy on his hand when he was made to wear it at official announcements, and it always seemed like a branding of ownership – to wear it made him the King’s property before the eyes of the world. But the glyph was his, something from the prophecy scriptures written decades before the World King could even touch him, and he believed in his power, in its purpose to save others. That fact alone is the only reason he kept the damn thing this long.

 

He holds it out to Ms. Jang now, “I want you to have this.”

 

“I can’t,” she refuses.

 

“I want you to have it. Sell it, buy yourself something nice,” he replies, closing her hands around it, “It’s the only thing I have to give you. Please take it.”

 

She’s clearly reluctant, but Kai is pressed for time and she knows it. Though she stops him when he tries to return the cellphone she bought him.

 

“No, keep it,” she all but begs, “For when you need to call home.”

 

Her words sink in and Kai finally loses it, his tears breaking past the lump in his throat. He can feel his expression collapse as he lowers his head, and the breath of a sob slips past his lips before he’s grabbing Ms. Jang into a tight hug. He clutches her, rubs her soft, warm back and wishes he could stay with her – this miraculous, generous woman who showed him kindness and became his home when he needed it most.

 

As she smoothes her hands back and forth over his shoulder blades, he swallows down the rest of his emotions, finally out of time. He pulls away, wiping his face with the cuff of his coat sleeve and clears his throat just as his brothers come through.

 

They don’t want to leave and Kai understands why better than anyone, but he’s given them an order and he expects it to be adhered to. Each of them stand near Ms. Jang and look to him like the harrowing task of saying goodbye to another loved one will be enough to sway his decision to leave.

 

He only crosses his arms and steps back, giving them space for their final farewells, “Make it quick.”

 

Kai feels the full brunt of being the leader, being the _bad_ _guy_ as he watches his kin break down out of gratitude and grief in some form or another. Xiumin knows his reasoning and understands what needs to be done, and he gets it over with fast, squeezing Ms. Jang in a hug and thanking her for everything before he moves to Kai’s side. D.O. has always needed sufficient time to form attachments so he also gets his goodbyes over with quickly and without fuss, trusting Kai’s decision unconditionally.

 

The others are less accommodating with Kai’s urgency, unable to find the will to leave her and their new home. Luhan is clearly angry about the decision to leave, tossing Kai a questioning glare as he stands beside Xiumin, while Ms. Jang’s sadness is affecting Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Suho, Chen and Tao in varying degrees. Sehun stands beside Lay with an arm around his shoulder while Lay, who appears irreparably sad, has clearly absorbed Ms. Jang’s grief at their imminent departure and carries it like it’s his own.

 

Everyone eventually joins Kai in the center of the room.

 

“You know where you need to go?” Xiumin asks and Kai gives a small nod, bracing himself under the hands of his brothers as they take Xiumin’s lead and grab on.

 

He takes one last look at Ms. Jang, at her frailty and her tears as she stands by the bookshelf, holding her yearbook and Kai’s power glyph ring to her chest like it will give her the comfort she needs.

 

“Will I see you again?” she asks, her voice small.

 

“I don’t know,” Kai replies, and the yearning he can hear in his own voice almost breaks him down, “I hope so.”

 

He closes his eyes, concentrates on the individual essence of each of his brothers and locks them in. The next moment, they’re gone.

 

 

 

When Kai opens his eyes again, they’re standing in the dark, dank foyer of Ms. Jang’s abandoned university campus. Old filthy paper and dead autumn leaves rustle at their ankles as the wind and sun finds its way through broken windows and cracks in the concrete walls. The place smells of moss and mold and dust and damp earth, and the chill in the air feels lonely, desolate.

 

“Home sweet home,” Baekhyun mumbles.

 

The hands of his brothers leave him all at once, and they wander away from him, leaving him cold. Tao drops his head onto Suho’s shoulder and Suho comforts him with a hug, shooting Kai an apologetic look. Everyone is clearly miserable at this turn of events and Kai doesn’t blame them.

 

He’d wanted more than anything to stay, especially after learning of Ms. Jang’s ailing health. He had never let himself get comfortable, knowing that one day he’d have to make the hard decision to relocate them if danger came knocking. But deep down, he’d wanted to pay back Ms. Jang’s generosity with company and hard work, to do for her the things she couldn’t, to be the child she never had. He’d wanted to stay more than anybody.

 

And now all he feels is the profound sadness of leaving her and Luhan’s anger directed at him from across the room, and he wants to hit something. He wants his brothers to take a breather, to get themselves together and leave him so he can let himself come undone and piece himself together again with some privacy.

 

But Luhan’s clearly gearing for a confrontation and Kai feels so stuffy with constantly putting his own needs on the backburner that he knows he’ll unleash if Luhan pushes enough. So he turns to put some distance between them.

 

“I hope you’re happy,” Luhan mutters.

 

Kai stops and peers over his shoulder at him; his answering tone is harsh, surprised, “ _Excuse_ me?”

 

“You heard,” Luhan continues, “We’re alone again, hiding from the humans, just like _you_ wanted. If that’s the only option we have, why not just end it? Why are we even here if we’re not allowed to exist?”

 

“Walk it off, Han,” Kai warns, his heartbeat picking up.

 

“What the hell even happened to you? What trauma did you go through that we haven’t? _We_ lost everything _too_ , remember?” Luhan asks, looking at him with something akin to contempt.

 

Kai realizes belatedly that it may be a different shade, but it’s still the same color of open hostility Luhan had for the government hierarchy back on Exo Planet, and Kai feels something inside himself break at the idea that Luhan has placed him in a box with such evil.

 

“You’ve been unstable for weeks now, we’ve all seen it,” he continues, gesturing at their collective group, “And it’s turning you into someone unlikeable. God forbid, it’s turning you into _him_.”

 

Everyone suddenly becomes very still.

 

“ _Luhan_ ,” Xiumin barks, clearly taken aback by the direction he’s chosen.

 

Kai blinks, his breath shuddering past his lips as he finds himself rendered numb at Luhan’s careless accusations, “Don’t you _dare_.”

 

Luhan huffs unhappily, “Whether it’s your intention or not, what you’re doing to us now? That’s exactly the same kind of control the World King----”

 

Kai explodes, seeing red and lurches at him before he can finish, his fist reared back. Xiumin, Chanyeol, Lay and Sehun scramble to grab him before he can land the punch while D.O. stands by ready to intervene, “I am _nothing_ like him! _Nothing!_ I am trying to keep us all _safe!_ ”

 

Luhan looks shaken at Kai’s violent outburst, and it’s apparent that he has no idea what he’s done. He’s unaware of the true evil Kai has seen, served by the hand of the same person he has so carelessly compared him to.

 

“ _Stop fighting!_ ” Tao cries helplessly while Suho, Baekhyun and Chen watch, panicked.

 

“You think I lead for _myself?_ Do you really think I like being the bad guy?” Kai yells as he attempts to pull his arms out from the solid grip of his brothers, “You wanna do it, Luhan? Huh? Is that it? Then _be my fucking guest!_ ”

 

Lay murmurs in his ear, trying to calm him but Kai can still see Luhan through the blur of his rage and it’s making him wild. He knows somewhere deep down that Luhan is only venting his own fears and frustrations, however naïve they are, and in some way Kai knows he’s right. He’s suffered too much to be the same kid he used to be, and he keeps putting a lid on his grief and anger and trauma instead of dealing with it because he doesn’t have the time to think of himself when the security of his kin is priority. He gets it. He can’t keep going the way he is.

 

But he’s never felt more betrayed, more hurt in his entire life. To be lumped in the same category as the pure evil who took everything from them in the first place, Kai thinks, is too cruel for the purpose of getting a point across. He knows Luhan is simply baiting him for the purpose of serving him a wake up call, and he can be forgiven for not knowing the secrets Kai keeps. But right now, in this moment, he doesn’t think he can ever look at Luhan the same way again.

 

“That’s _enough_ ,” Xiumin growls and pushes Luhan, “Take a walk.”

 

Kai sees the panic in his group and averts his eyes, focusing on trying to cage his anger. His chest is almost convulsing with his ragged breathing and he pushes weakly against Chanyeol, looking to get as far away from Luhan and the rest of them as possible.

 

“Let me go,” Kai mutters, shouldering weakly at Chanyeol’s chest, “I want to be alone.”

 

“You don’t have to be,” Chanyeol tells him, his hands turning gentle.

 

“I _need_ to be,” Kai tells him, pulling at his arms until they release him. He moves and turns down the left wing, letting his feet take him away.

 

He hears their quiet murmurs travel down the emptiness of the corridor behind him, things like _You didn’t have to go that far_ and _What the hell, man_.

 

Kai travels from wing to wing until he’s on the other side of campus, taking a flight of dangerously unsteady stairs and walking another corridor until his anger shifts to agony and he has to use the wall to hold himself up. He stumbles into an old dorm room with graffiti on the broken windows and he slumps, sliding down the wall. He lands on the floor with his hair pulled tight in his hands and his knees bent, folding himself as small as he can. There, he lets go.

 

He sounds starved for air as he inhales a shaky, hoarse breath, and the exhale that follows is a series of dry, painful sobs that feel like they’re battering at his ribs. He cries and gasps, thinking of Ms. Jang and her love and acceptance, of the space she made in her life for them all, of her nightly company and passionflower tea and how broken she looked as they left her. Then he thinks of his parents, thinks of Kris, of Jin, the concrete prison, of their entire world population all gone and he can’t control his sobbing, nor the flood of tears that wet his face.

 

 

It takes an hour for them dry up.

 

He feels withered and hollow but it’s getting dark outside and he needs to check in with the others while he can still see his way around. So he pulls himself up with some difficulty and goes down the corridor until he finds a bathroom.

 

He looks at himself in the broken, tarnished mirror, looks down at the dirty sink and he wipes the dust off the cold tiled wall with his hand before he shifts over to press his puffy face against it. He feels horrible and heavy but he’s offloaded some of his bottled tension and that’s all that matters. He turns over and presses the other side of his face to the wall, hoping to clear away the evidence of his breakdown before he appears again in front of the others.

 

He looks marginally better when he stands back, and he brushes his coat off, makes himself presentable and slides his game face back on. He may feel as though he’s falling down an endless pit, but the group wants a better leader so he’s going to give it to them.

 

When he walks back out, he stops to see Luhan standing at the end of the corridor. There’s a heavy pause between them, thick with tension and Kai’s not sure if he’s ready to face him yet, but Luhan continues forward and he doesn’t have a choice.

 

They meet halfway, and it’s apparent that Luhan is feeling guilty.

 

He licks his lips nervously, his hands clutching each other before him, “Kai…”

 

“Don’t,” Kai tells him, “You were right. My attitude has sucked lately. I’m sorry for being a dick.”

 

It’s everything he believed Luhan wanted to hear, but his reaction doesn’t exactly match it.

 

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Luhan shakes his head, looking sadder and more sympathetic than Kai has ever seen him, “ _I_ was the dick. It was the dumbest, most hurtful thing I’ve ever said and I feel _sick_ about it---”

 

“So you should,” he answers unapologetically, “Call me out on my bullshit, that’s fair. But don’t you _ever_ compare me to him. Don’t even put us in the same sentence. Understood?”

 

“Loud and clear,” Luhan replies, his eyes wide and sincere, “I went too far and I totally regret it. I only wanted you to unload. To _talk_ to us, let us help you.”

 

Kai thinks of his innermost thoughts, his reoccurring nightmares brought on by the discovery of their loved ones hung up in that prison. He thinks of Chen’s caregiver, the humble, peaceful monk who was skinned and left in shreds. He thinks of Suho and Chanyeol’s parents, stuck through with hooks, and Sehun’s parents tortured by acid. He thinks of Tao’s parents, and Xiumin’s parents, and D.O.’s parents, and Lay’s and Baekhyun’s. He thinks of Kris’ mother and little sister, how both showed signs of a different kind of evil at the hands of men. And he thinks of his parents, the oldest corpses of the lot, left to starve and dehydrate and die of infection like the poor people they already were.

 

Lastly, he looks into Luhan’s eyes and thinks of his parents, so stubborn like him, so ready to fight the government by themselves…and how they’d been cut into pieces as proof that they could never win.

 

He thinks of the burden it is to know it, to have seen it with his own eyes, to be haunted by it everyday and he can’t bring himself to unload that horror onto his brothers. _Never_.

 

So he lies.

 

“I’m okay.”

 

He tells himself that he can learn to handle the nightmares and everything that comes with it. As long as his brothers are safe, he can handle anything.

 

“I think I just got lost. This new life requires some adapting.”

 

Luhan observes him for a long time, as if he’s trying to see below the surface of him. Kai doesn’t know whether to be relieved or disturbed that his lie has been enough to convince the conspiracy theorist of the group, “It’s okay to be lost, man. None of us have it all figured out. But if you’re gonna be lost, be lost with the rest of us, you hear me? You don’t have to be alone.”

 

Kai cracks a small smile that falls away the second Luhan brings him in for a hug, “I’m so sorry about what I said. You have no idea. I only meant to provoke you, I didn’t want to hurt you.”

 

“It’s over,” Kai tells him, patting his back and pulling away, “We should regroup. Go over our options.”

 

Luhan gratefully accepts Kai’s change of subject, “This guy you said you saw…Scale of one to ten. How dangerous is he?”

 

“I don’t know,” Kai replies, remembering his pursuant. He can’t help the horrible feeling it invokes, that dreadful pit in his stomach, “But I know I don’t want to find out.”

 

 

 

 

 

Luhan takes Kai to the auditorium where the others sit around on the stage talking. Baekhyun and Chanyeol are swinging their legs back and forth off the front edge, making noises with their mouths that echo and amplify through the shape of the room, amusing themselves.

 

“Gather up,” Xiumin orders upon seeing Kai, and the group shifts closer together. Luhan pats Kai’s arm before he sits down with the others, and they all look to Kai patiently, awaiting his instructions.

 

“I want to apologize,” Kai says, clearing his throat, “I haven’t been coping, and I’ve been taking it out on you. So, I’m sorry. I’ll try harder not to do that anymore.”

 

He’s met with quiet murmurs of support, like Tao’s _It’s okay_ and Baekhyun’s _We’ve got you, brother_ and Suho’s _We’re in this together_. Sehun gives him a tiny smile when Kai looks to him, and Xiumin, Luhan, Chanyeol, Chen and D.O. all nod their heads to him out of respect. Lay, however, is listening to his emotions instead of his words and knows he’s simply brushing the real problem under the mat. Kai doesn’t have the time to worry about it.

 

“I’m also sorry that I pulled us out of Ms. Jang’s,” Kai continues, “But I believe I had reason to worry. I don’t know what this guy wanted, or what he knows, but I think there could be more of where he came from.”

 

Xiumin crosses his arms, “What was he like?”

 

Kai sighs as he thinks back, “Focused. He was only after me, which makes me wonder how he _knew_ to follow me. He didn’t tail me for twenty minutes because I accidently collided with him in the street, I know that much.”

 

Baekhyun shifts uneasily, “Do you think he came from home? Would the King have organized to send him after us?”

 

The concept has everyone looking to each other nervously. Kai thinks it’s a valid point and it’d be arrogant to rule the possibility out, but he takes the World King’s time of death and their departure afterwards into account, as well as the total obliteration of Exo Planet hot on his heels as he teleported his kin to Earth and he can’t base the theory in logic.

 

“It’s possible, maybe. But I just don’t know,” Kai tells him.

 

Luhan frowns, “Was he human then?”

 

Kai doesn’t understand how it’s possible, “I don’t know. Ms. Jang is the only person who knows about us. If he was human, then I don’t know why he was after me.”

 

“You said you thought he was hunting you,” Xiumin says, “Why?”

 

Kai feels that dread again, “The look in his eye. The way he moved. He was calculating; he wasn’t willing to start something in public, and he tried more than once to herd me into less populated areas. I also saw him communicating with someone and I think he may have been armed.”

 

“This changes things,” D.O. mumbles.

 

“Yeah,” He agrees unhappily, “So I’m gonna have to insist on some new rules. We have to stay here until we figure out our next move so to make sure we don’t tip off the local authorities…keep the power usage and the noise to a minimum – that means you Baekhyun.”

 

Baekhyun looks a little forlorn but agrees obediently at the request, “Yeah seonjang.”

 

“What are we going to do for heat?” Sehun asks, “I get that we have to lay low, but it’s _freezing_ in here.”

 

Chen lifts his hand, “If we can find the generators, I could maybe try and charge them. That would give us heat and electricity, at least for a little while.”

 

Kai nods, “Okay. What about you, Suho? Is there water around?”

 

Suho tilts his head as he feels out the nearest water source, “Yes. It’s been sitting in the pipes for a while but it’s still connected.”

 

The group seems to visibly relax at the idea that their basic necessities are taken care of.

 

“What about food?” Tao asks, grimacing at the thought of going hungry again.

 

“We’ll think about food once we’re settled,” Kai tells him, “Chen and I will look for the generators. Baekhyun, you’ll need to come with us. Xiumin, take Tao and look for a dorm wing we can stay in and start setting up. Suho, take D.O. and Chanyeol and look for stuff we can use, bedding, blankets, utensils, anything you come across. Lay, take Sehun and Luhan and do the same. We’ll meet back in the atrium in half an hour. Everyone cool with that?”

 

His brothers appear reignited with purpose and agree to their tasks without complaint. They also agree when Kai enforces the strictest rule of them all – no one is to be alone at any time for any reason until further notice.

 

 

 

 

Kai, Chen and Baekhyun eventually find the basement door and Baekhyun lights the way into the boiler room for Chen to put the generators back online. He hasn’t used his power since he nearly blew a hole through Lay’s chest, so Chen is understandably nervous, but Kai admires the way he puts aside his own worries for the sake of providing heat for his brothers and he takes it upon himself to support Chen through the process.

 

Chen goes to pull lightning from the atmosphere but taps into an electrical current running through the local power cables instead. It’s closer, and it’s inconspicuous, and he pulls it through the electrical lines still attached to the building until the generator whirrs to life beneath his hand.

 

By the time they’ve worked their way back out of the maze of the building, it’s time to regroup. Once everyone is gathered again, they set off toward the living area Xiumin and Tao have scouted.

 

They each work together to set up their new designated living quarters, compiling items of use they’d found during their exploration of the campus. Suho’s group had discovered an old supply room on the second floor holding several dusty blankets, a couple of mattresses and a few stray towels and linens. It won’t be enough for each of them, but it’s better than nothing.

 

Lay’s group had found three more mattresses in less than ideal conditions, and they’d carried back an old broom and a tool box they’d come across in one of the janitor closets, as well as a box of expired canned pineapple they’d found in the cafeteria kitchen. It’s not a lot to go on, but at least they won’t starve for the next couple of days.

 

Chen and Chanyeol take to cleaning up their new sleeping room as much as they can, sweeping the floor and covering the broken windows with sheets. D.O., Xiumin and Luhan bring the damaged mattresses from the east block while Kai and Tao gather the goods of the supply closet. Baekhyun and Suho locate the water and power mains and switch them on, while Lay and Sehun go about removing the debris from the drains and toilets in the communal bathroom for Suho to flush the water system through.

 

There are more smashed light bulbs throughout the corridor than working ones, and only a few of the radiators manage to heat through, but it’s enough. It’s _enough_ that they’re alive, and safe. Everything else is a bonus.

 

It’s half an hour later that Kai lifts his head to the sound of Sehun and Baekhyun crowing in awe and excitement from the bathroom. When he gets there, the showers are running hot water.

 

Suho turns to Kai with a proud smile, “Would you like the honor of first shower?”

 

Kai gives him an affectionate slap to the shoulder, “No no, you go for it, hyung. You did good.”

 

 

 

 

He lies awake that night, listening to the soft snores of his brothers.

 

He’s immensely proud of them for the way they’ve adapted so gracefully to their situation and how they’ve all pitched in to help each other and carry the burden. But he also can’t help thinking of the man who caused the upheaval in the first place. Kai put almost a hundred miles between them today, and he still doesn’t feel safe.

 

The worst part is not knowing, not knowing if he’ll come for them again, if in fact he is part of something greater, or if he’s even tracked them back to Ms. Jang. He feels sick with worry and grabs the cellphone from the floor beside him, waiting for it to power on before he hovers his finger over her phone number in the contacts list.

 

If by some small chance his mystery stalker indeed tracked him to Ms. Jang’s, then felt suspicious of the harmless little old lady who took them in, a phone call could be a trap. And if he called and she was fine, he doesn’t think he would be able to bear the sad longing in her voice.

 

So he turns the phone off and puts it back.

 

He lets Baekhyun snuggle against him, grateful for the added warmth and he continues to lie awake, listening to the sounds of his brothers sleeping.

 

 

 

 

 

Kai is up before the rest of them the next morning and goes for a walk around the campus grounds. There’s dew on the grass and a chill in the air and he stuffs his cold hands in his coat pockets, his breath foggy around his face as he wanders.

 

He thinks of how the campus would have looked in its prime and wonders what kinds of subjects were offered, what classes Ms. Jang would have taken.

 

He’d seen old photos from her school days during their time with her, and Baekhyun being Baekhyun had taken to making flirty comments about them. She’d enjoyed that, Ms. Jang. She’d never been married, and she’d gotten a kick out of Baekhyun constantly jibing her with flirtations while Kai had enjoyed seeing her grumpiness shift into doting adoration. He misses her already, prays she is okay without them, and he hopes that one day she’ll catch onto the not-so-secret affections of Mr. Myung from down the road, if only so she doesn’t live the rest of her life alone.

 

Kai sees an overgrown, unattended orange tree on his travels and pulls one from it’s branch, investigates it with the pocket knife Jin had given him for his last birthday. It looks edible, and despite its sourness when he pops a section into his mouth, he finishes it off and removes his coat in order to carry back enough for the others.

 

He returns a little later to see them all barely awake. Lay sits with Tao, healing an ulcer on the inside of his mouth, having been brought on from too much pineapple the night before. It makes the rest of them less enthused at the idea of eating it again, so their faces light up when Kai tosses them an orange each.

 

He almost laughs as he watches their faces screw up at the sour taste.

 

“We’re eating for survival, not pleasure,” Kai tells them, and they gratefully finish them off.

 

 

 

 

They relocate to the auditorium for the day. It gives them the illusion of distance and space; traveling without traveling, as though they aren’t locked away in hiding.

 

They spend a couple of hours talking about random things, like Ms. Jang’s tendency to lash out whenever they tried to sneak food as she made dinner, how her angry smacking felt soft and ticklish because she couldn’t bring herself to truly hurt them.

 

They reminisce about their time in the palace, the rare times when things weren’t strained. They remember Fao-In’s philosophical take on everything, as well as the team-building games he ran them through that always ended up in belly-aching laughter. They remember Linka’s inability to keep a straight face whenever she scolded Baekhyun, and how she always made a point of celebrating their birthdays by teaching them something about the zodiac. They also think of the time they aggravated Mikail to the point where he was red-faced _squealing_ because they collectively refused to write research papers. Happier times.

 

Then, trying to relive some of those happier moments, Baekhyun, Chen and Chanyeol drag out some of the left over wooden seat benches and proceed to entertain themselves by jumping from one to another like the floor’s on fire.

 

Tao casually sits on one of them, refusing to join in on the immaturity until Baekhyun slaps him upside the head and leaps to the next bench precariously before Tao can hit him back.

 

Baekhyun takes one look at Tao’s grumpy face and grins, “I think we have our game, boys.”

 

Suho, D.O. and Luhan get up to join in and Tao gets his game face on, readying himself to beat the snot out of anyone who dares to touch him. Xiumin and Kai watch the game with matching smirks from where they sit on the edge of the stage, while Lay leans against the wall beside Sehun who stands in the window warming his back in the sun. The two of them talk quietly and intimately, and Kai looks away with a smile when Lay’s little finger hooks around Sehun’s.

 

And then there’s a _snick_ , and Sehun is abruptly thrown to the ground like he’s been slapped hard in the face. Everyone watches him hit the floor in surprise, but then Lay scrambles down beside him and clasps a hand over Sehun’s neck.

 

Kai sees the blood and the panic in Lay’s eyes and realizes Sehun has been _shot_.

 

“Get down,” Xiumin calls out as quietly as possible, immediately dropping from the stage. He darts to the window, hiding to get a look at the campus grounds below.

 

Kai jumps down and makes a run for Sehun. He’s unconscious, his neck blown apart, and Lay is trying to hold it together but Sehun’s blood is pouring through his fingers without mercy.

 

“He’s bleeding out fast,” Lay relays with a shuddering breath as his tears start to fall, “Quicker than I can heal him.”

 

“What’s going on?” Baekhyun asks from where they’re crouched behind the benches.

 

“Kai, we have incoming,” Xiumin warns him, and Kai’s heart plummets into his gut. There’s too much happening at once and now he realizes what’s _truly_ going on. _Oh god,_ he thinks.

_He’s found us_.

 

“I count four hostiles,” Xiumin adds.

 

“ _Four?_ ” Kai balks. Shit. _Shit_.

 

He looks to Sehun, who is dying in a pool of his own blood, then Xiumin who is watching an outside threat closing in, and then his brothers who sit frozen in a panic, awaiting instructions.

 

 _Okay_ , he thinks. _Sehun first._

 

“Chanyeol, come here,” Kai orders, “Everybody stay as quiet as you can, and make your way over.”

 

D.O. directs Suho, Luhan, Baekhyun, Chen and Tao around the edge of the room to the stage where they line up, crouched low. Chanyeol makes his way over and skids to the ground beside him, and Kai watches the horror dawn on his face when he gets a look at what’s happening.

 

“I need you to cauterize,” Kai explains to him, “Lay, where?”

 

Lay sniffs, tears dripping from his chin as he takes Chanyeol’s fingers, “Ready?”

 

Chanyeol concentrates on his fingertips until they start glowing, “Yeah hyung.”

 

Lay lifts his hand away from the mess of Sehun’s flesh and pinches Chanyeol’s fingers around the main artery. There’s a sizzle, but Kai worries they’re too late. Sehun is dangerously pale now, his skin color almost a translucent lavender. It’s different this time – Sehun doesn’t have the ability to heal himself, and Lay can’t save the dead.

 

“Kai,” Xiumin warns again, a little more desperately than before, “They’re on their way in.”

 

“How much time have we got?”

 

“I don’t have a visual,” Xiumin replies, “Thirty seconds, tops.”

 

They all turn toward the auditorium doors as the corridor stairway creaks from the bottom level.

 

“Okay,” Kai gets up, “We gotta go.”

 

Lay panics as he removes Chanyeol’s hand from Sehun’s neck and replaces his own, “I can’t heal him if we teleport.”

 

“Then we hold them off,” Xiumin suggests, peeling himself away from the window.

 

Kai looks over his shoulder at the nearest of his brothers and motions Suho and Luhan over to help, “We gotta move him.”

 

Suho and Luhan obey without question, scampering over to help lift Sehun, but then one of the auditorium doors is yanked open and in file four guys dressed in black – the first, of which, carries a shotgun.

 

The intruders each seem to freeze in surprise when they set eyes on Kai and his brothers. But while Kai wasn’t prepared for four of them, it’s even more apparent that they weren’t expecting eleven.

 

The one with the shotgun breathes a clipped sigh, “ _Shhit_.”

 

In the same moment, Suho stands to shield Lay and Sehun and the man with the shotgun shoots him and immediately reloads, probably spooked at his sudden movement. The shell spray pelts Suho square in the chest and he hits the ground.

 

Chen screams from the back of the hall as he watches, and then the shotgun suddenly blows apart, exploding into pieces. Kai catches Luhan’s concentrated stare.

 

The surprise has afforded them a few seconds, but then the decision to engage is written on the faces of their enemies and everything erupts into chaos.

  
Xiumin sprints full tilt at the shooter and tackles him down while Luhan jumps into action to drag Suho toward the stage where Chen and Baekhyun can compress his wounds. Tao looks to Kai before he runs for the two intruders on the right, one of which Kai recognizes as his original stalker, while D.O. sprints at the shorter guy on the left.

 

“Hold onto him,” Kai orders Lay, and he grabs Sehun by the shoulders of his shirt and pulls him across the floor while Lay trails along, hand still attached to Sehun’s neck.

 

Xiumin is exchanging heavy blows with his target, using his military training to do his best to keep him at bay, but it’s soon clear he won’t be able to stop him. He takes a kick to the chest and a blow to the face, and when he whirls back to put some space between them, his opponent lifts out the broadsword he carries on his back and readies himself for the next round.

 

D.O.’s brute strength is protecting him to some degree, but his opponent is vicious and faster and intent on causing him serious damage. D.O. grabs his opponent by the shoulders but sees the dagger he pulls from his thigh sheath too late and it heads straight for the main artery in his leg.

 

They both stop at the clash of metal on metal, and D.O. looks into the confused eyes of the man beneath his hands before he tries to sink the blade into his flank instead. It happens again, and _again_ , and then his opponent starts stabbing as hard and as fast as he can, hitting him in the gut, sternum, chest, aiming upwards for the vital organs. D.O. stands there bewildered, uncertain of what’s going on, and it’s only when his enemy screams bloody murder and aims his blade between D.O.’s eyes in a fit of rage that Kai sees the skin of his face and neck shift into a metal barricade of shiny chrome.

 

Kai turns to Chanyeol and points at Lay and the others, “Protect them at all costs.”

 

Tao is taking hits left, right and center, trying to steal more time for Sehun and Suho and Kai runs to help him, barely missing the punch his stalker suddenly throws at him.

 

Kai deflects a few more hits and catches the man in the face with a solid elbow, but he gets two incredibly fast knees to the ribs in response and cries out, feeling something break. He sees Tao hit the ground, spitting a mouthful of blood while he wrangles himself out of the hold his opponent is trying to put him in, but then he’s overpowered and locked right back down before he’s thrown over the man’s shoulder with the kind of speed that intends to break every bone in his body.

 

He grunts as his back hits the floor hard, and he struggles to roll himself back up with the shooting pains in his side, out of breath. Xiumin barely misses his attacker’s broadsword as it slices through the floor, while D.O. gets tackled down to the ground by the other three, their numbers against his strength.

 

“Where the _fuck_ is Taemin?” Kai’s stalker complains.

 

“Waiting for the right time to swoop in and take the glory apparently,” The shorter one grits through his teeth as he strains to hold D.O. in a headlock.

 

“Oh like you _wouldn’t_ ,” The taller one answers back, peering over his shoulder just as a fifth man races through the door at Tao, Sai blades in his hands.

 

Before Kai can fathom what’s happening, Tao screams as the new guy thrusts a blade up through his left armpit and swivels down to spin-kick his legs out from under him. Then he’s sending Xiumin across the floor with a kick to the chest before he’s stabbing his other Sai blade into Tao’s right flank and _dragging_ it down to his hip, gutting him.

 

D.O. growls and finally manages to throw his opponents off, running in Tao’s direction. The new guy sees him coming and simply rolls to his back, plants his foot on D.O.’s gut and throws him over his head like it’s nothing. D.O. hits the ground and slides.

 

The man they call Taemin, who has essentially taken down three of Kai’s people in the seven seconds it took him to get back on his feet, is a blur of leather, skin and long dark hair as he rolls back into his stance effortlessly. And when he turns to look over his shoulder, their eyes meet.

 

Kai immediately feels cold all over.

 

He’s possibly the most frightening of the lot, Kai thinks, in the way he looks so fearless and comfortable in his carnage, in the way he stares back at Kai like he is both his target and his point to prove. His build is strong, muscular, while his face is unnervingly soft. It betrays the sharp, menacing glint in his eye that tells Kai he wants him dead.

 

The man’s Katana sword sits strapped diagonally across the wings of his shoulders, and then he’s swinging his Sai blades into a reverse grip with a flick of his hands, striding in his direction and Kai knows he needs a new strategy.

 

_Retreat._

 

So he grits his teeth and teleports faster than he ever has, flickering in and out of existence taking Tao, and D.O. and Xiumin back to the safety of the others.

 

Kai turns to Xiumin, “We need a fortress. Buy us time.”

 

Then he stands up and puts himself between his brothers and the threat, hearing the sharp crunch of Xiumin manifesting ice behind him.

 

Kai watches the enemy run at him with determination, seeing their window of attack closing. Xiumin builds a circular wall of ice around them, encasing and protecting their injured band of brothers, and Kai plants his feet anxiously as they close in.

 

He sees Taemin pull his Katana sword free from the sheath of his shoulder blades as the growing ice cuts into his view, and then Xiumin’s wall is complete and everything stops.

 

He takes a moment to breathe past the frenetic drumming of his heartbeat in his ears, his adrenaline coursing like cold daggers in his veins but his respite doesn’t last long.

 

There’s a strange pain through his gut, cold and sharp, and he looks down to see Taemin’s sword protruding from his stomach. He stares at it for a few moments as the pain and surprise begins to register, and he lifts his hand just as the blade retracts, disappearing back through the ice.

 

He can hear Tao moaning in agony, and when he looks over his shoulder he sees him with his head on D.O.’s lap, his skin almost gray with blood loss as Lay tries to heal him. Xiumin is on his knees helping Luhan hold Tao’s side together, his injuries so extensive that Kai can see his insides through the bloodied slash in his jacket. Sehun is whole again but slumped unconscious in Baekhyun’s arms, and Suho is showing signs of shock, trembling on the floor as Chen and Chanyeol stem the bleeding of his large shotgun wound with their jackets.

 

Kai then starts to hear a dull thump from the other side of the ice and realizes they’re trying to _dig their way through_.

 

Lay is sweating profusely, the beginnings of exhaustion taking hold and Kai is starting to think they may not make it out of this. He watches Lay grit his teeth and _push_ with his mind, probably the same way he did when Kai was beyond saving and Tao appears marginally more awake as his flank knits back together, leaving only a fresh scar behind. Lay then drags himself over to Suho and Kai knows he’s going to kill himself with overexertion if he keeps it up.

 

So he buttons his coat with shaking hands to conceal the blood seeping through his shirt, “We gotta hurry.”

 

Lay instructs Luhan as he uses his power to lift the shrapnel out of Suho’s chest, and then Lay begins to close him up as fast as he can.

 

Kai takes a moment to breathe through his own pain before he crouches beside the group and extends his arms, “We have to leave, _now_.”

 

“Where the hell are we going to go?” Xiumin asks.

 

“I-I don’t know,” Kai replies worriedly, unable to think while he glances over his shoulder as the ice begins to crack, “ _I don’t know_.”

 

Chanyeol and Chen lift Suho into a sitting position when Lay is done, and Baekhyun passes one of Sehun’s hands over for Kai to hold onto. Kai extends his other hand for Suho, Chanyeol and Chen to grasp, while Xiumin secures Tao’s hold on Kai’s knee and everybody grabs on. Kai avoids Lay’s eyes when he sees him frowning thoughtfully in the direction of his stomach.

 

He takes a moment to center himself. If there’s the slightest possibility that they’ve been followed all along, then they risk being tracked faster if they return to areas they’ve already been. Kai doesn’t know how they’re being tracked so accurately or why, and he knows he needs a new place for them to hide. But with only a vague map of Korea in his head, he’s essentially teleporting blind.

 

 _Always have faith_ , Fao-In used to say, whenever Kai went to him as an angry, frustrated boy holding a storm inside. _You won’t always see the road ahead, but you will always end up where you need to be._

 

He sighs a trembling breath and straightens his shoulders, “Here goes nothing.”

 

When a fist finally smashes its way through the ice, Kai and his brothers are gone.

 

 

 


	6. Beset

Jonghyun smashes relentlessly with the handles of his twin Scimitar blades against the incision Taemin’s sword has made in the thick wall of ice, growing increasingly infuriated at the obstacle that blocks them from their intended targets. Once he gains some leeway, he punches his fist through and starts pulling the wall down with his bare hands.

 

Onew kicks unhappily at the splintered remains of his shotgun on the ground, and Taemin waves his Katana before his eyes, seeing Kai’s blood glistening on the blade. _I got you,_ he muses.

 

Key shoves him hard in the arm, “Where the fuck were you, asshole?”

 

Taemin slides his blade between his fingers, cleaning it on his own hand, “Packing down a sniper rifle. Taking point. Being back up.”

 

“Well, that wasn’t the plan,” Minho adds.

 

“The plan was naïve,” Taemin replies indifferently, sheathing his sword behind his shoulders, “I was simply being the last wall of defense.”

 

Part of the ice collapses to the ground, but Taemin already knows their targets are long gone. Jonghyun pauses to catch his breath momentarily before he picks up a large piece and hurls it across the room, roaring with rage.

 

Taemin assumes everyone had their own expectations of how the mission would go, and this clearly wasn’t the result they were after. Key’s still side-eyeing him with the mother of all glares, Minho is quietly disappointed and Jonghyun is breathing heavily, looking like he wants to tear the entire building down. But when he sets his eyes on Taemin, it becomes apparent that he wants to tear _him_ down instead.

 

“The Queen’s ace thinks he can do _whatever the fuck he wants_ ,” Jonghyun spits furiously, “You just _threw_ us under a _bus_.”

 

Taemin jibes back at him, “Did you die?”

 

“ _Enough_ ,” Onew cuts in, done being a silent spectator. He strides past Taemin in the direction of the auditorium door, “A word. _Now_.”

 

He follows him out into the hall reluctantly, because he knows this conversation has been on the cards ever since the recon mission back in Sangju. He’s caught between a rock and a hard place and he knows he has no choice but to take whatever discipline his leader has in store for him. However, he’s willing to be punished.

 

They come to a stop in the outside corridor, and he watches Onew visibly calm himself down before he opens his mouth to speak. When he finally looks at him, Taemin lowers his eyes, unable to meet his gaze.

 

“What’s going on with you?”

 

He can barely stand the surprising edge of concern in his leader’s voice, like he believes there is something more behind Taemin’s apparent lack of regard for the mission. Onew has always believed the best in him and it’s difficult for Taemin to hear now because he knows he doesn’t deserve it.

 

“Look, I trust your intuition, but that’s _twice_ you’ve disobeyed my direct order now. I was given the leader position for a reason, from the High Elder herself,” Onew says, “So what’s the problem?”

 

Taemin has never cared for anything or anyone, but he respects Onew enough to feel a little bad about the circumstances. The High Elder had given him orders to do everything possible to carry out the mission, including using his team as bait if he needed to, and Taemin had agreed because she was the highest authority in his life and he had no right to disobey. He’d agreed because he didn’t believe it would come to that.

 

Then Key had literally bumped into the Artifact in the marketplace, his sensor device going crazy in his pocket with confirmation and everything escalated too fast. Taemin had noticed the Artifact stealthily warning another from his vantage point on the rooftops and suspected there was more of them, so he’d gone with his first instinct and tailed them back to a rural house while Key and the others closed in on the one who had tripped their radar.

 

But their apparent leader – _Kai_ , as his people called him – had suddenly arrived back at the house and gathered them up, and Taemin was trying to piece together how Kai had slipped past him without being seen when they’d all disappeared again. He had to abort and return to town quickly before the others could find his abandoned watch with its embedded tracker fastened around one of the SUV’s side mirrors. His kin had found him leaning casually against the vehicle and had proceeded to rip him a new one for what they assumed was _slacking off_.

 

After tracking them to the University, he’d left his team as guinea pigs to test the abilities and strengths of their enemies so he could gather intel on ways to put them down. But then he’d watched as one of the Artifacts had quite literally turned into _metal_ and he’d abandoned Calypso’s order and moved to join the fight when the odds had grown too even for his liking. It had been tactical for information gathering, but there was no logic in risking the loss of his faction and having to fight the Artifacts on his own.

 

Despite how much he hadn’t liked the suggestion, he’d entertained the idea of using his team as bait more than he’d care to admit – but then he’d thought of all the times Onew had called him a friend and the late night hang outs in Key’s room and Minho’s thoughtfulness and Jonghyun’s ability to push him to improve despite how much they didn’t get along these days, and suddenly there were other reasons as to why he shouldn’t go through with it. And those reasons had no battle logic whatsoever.

 

Onew must read his silence now as discomfort instead of defiance, because his next set of words are gravely suspicious.

 

“Have you been given other orders?” he asks quietly.

 

 _Yes_ , he wants to say, but he keeps his mouth shut. He glances up briefly, and it seems to be enough to confirm his leader’s train of thought. Onew looks pissed, but it’s not directed at him.

 

“One of us could be in a body bag right now, because of _your_ actions. You understand that, right?” Onew asks, “I have no problem with you doing whatever you want when you’re on your own, but in these circumstances you have four other people to take into account. Remember that next time.”

 

He’s clearly had enough of Taemin’s silence because he tacks on a heavily sarcastic, _“Yes, Onew, I understand.”_

 

Taemin nods, and an unpleasant heaviness in his stomach and a bitterness on his tongue has him answering softly, “Yeah sunbaenim.”

 

Onew is a little surprised at the way Taemin has suddenly addressed him, and he sighs like he’s unable to stay mad, dropping a forceful hand on his shoulder, “Don’t do it again.”

 

He squeezes gently, as if to soften the hard authority card he’s had to play and walks back into the auditorium, leaving Taemin to feel rotten.

 

He’s grown under Onew’s guiding influence for nine years now, and he’s always brushed off his senior’s unconditional trust and understanding. It wears on him, he finds, because this time his participation in defying Onew wasn’t something he liked doing. He realizes he’s disappointed in himself for the first time ever, and it’s a painfully hard pill to swallow.

 

He takes his right Sai blade from his belt and twirls it in his fingers like a nervous tick, trying to distract himself from the danger of his own feelings and the thoughts that come with them. They’re inconceivable – _alien –_ these feelings, and his automatic defensive reflex is get angry.

 

Onew tells him they’re leaving as he leads the others back out to the corridor stairs, and Jonghyun pauses on his way past to give him a cold stare down before following the group out. Taemin kind of hopes he wants to start something. Violence has always been Taemin’s anchor, and beneath the fluttering of nervousness inside his ribs he yearns to be anchored again. This mission has rendered his inner compass askew and it bothers him more than he’ll ever admit.

 

 

 

 

“Your face is swelling,” Minho tells Key as they cross the school grounds back to the SUV, and he reaches out to touch his cheekbone.

 

“That teleporter got lucky,” Key bitches, knocking Minho’s hand away with a quick glance at Onew’s back. He pipes up for the others to hear, “Which brings me to an important observation – _they have a freakin’ teleporter_.”

 

“And an Ironman, apparently,” Minho says, rubbing at his forearms, “Pretty sure I’m gonna be sore for a _week_.”

 

“Not to mention there’s five of us and like a gazillion of them,” Key points out.

 

“Eleven,” Taemin gruffly corrects.

 

“ _Whatever_ ,” Key continues, “Point is, whoever gave us such shitty intel is getting a punch in the fucking face.”

 

Jonghyun jogs to catch up with Onew, “There’s still plenty of daylight left. If we leave now---”

 

“I have to call it in first,” Onew replies, unlocking the SUV with the remote key. The door to the trunk begins to open for them, and Onew starts removing his weapons and packing them away in his own case, “See what our options are.”

 

“No way,” Jonghyun soundly objects, “Let’s just re-track the teleporter’s power signature and get the jump on them while they’re running scared.”

 

Onew locks and lifts his weapons case to slot inside the storage shelf, “We’re dealing with eleven Artifacts. _Eleven_. That changes things.”

 

“It doesn’t change _shit,_ ” Jonghyun snarls, “We _had_ them. Unless they have super healing, we’ve already crossed off three of them.”

 

Taemin thinks of Kai’s blood on his Katana, how far it stemmed from the tip of the blade and surmises that he got him deep enough to cause him trouble if he can’t get to help soon enough. He could be dead already, and it would bring their numbers down to seven.

 

Seven artifacts against five Sicarii. One more attack and they could take them all out.

 

“It’s not up for debate,” Onew states firmly, shutting Jonghyun down, “I’m calling it in. We’ll go from there. _End of_.”

 

Jonghyun shakes his head at him, lowering his voice, “This is _bullshit_. Our orders were to go in, cross them off, and return to base---”

 

“Did I stutter?” Onew asks, “There’s _eleven_ of them.”

 

“ _Exactly_ , and they now know we’re coming for them,” Jonghyun growls, “We can’t give them the space to regroup and form a plan. _We have to hit them now_.”

 

“I _know_ what you’re saying, I do. And I will bring it up if they don’t give us the option, but don’t hate on me for doing my fucking job,” Onew replies, pulling his cellphone from the driver’s seat console and calling over his shoulder as he walks away, “Pack down and prepare to leave.”

 

Jonghyun watches their leader give himself distance to make the call home, nearly buzzing with anger.

 

Taemin moves around to the trunk of the SUV and punches in the lock code on his weapons case, placing his twin Sai blades in their respective slots. He removes his dagger from his thigh sheath and the Katana from behind his shoulders, relocks the case and stacks it in the shelf below Onew’s. It’s the first order so far this mission that he’s been able to follow without feeling torn. He's valiantly ignoring how much that unnerves him.

 

Of course, Jonghyun has been waiting for him to disarm because he finally gets in his face, shoving Taemin hard against the side of the vehicle.

 

Key raises his face to the sky and sighs, “Jonghyun, _stop_.”

 

“And _you_ , you little shit,” he snarls, “What makes _you_ so special that you can do whatever you please? Huh?”

 

“Three,” Taemin begins to count down, giving Jonghyun the chance to remove himself of his own free will.

 

Jonghyun pulls him forward by the collar of his sleeveless jacket and throws him against the car again, “Onew’s always been soft on you, but the High Elder I _don’t_ get.”

 

“Guys, come on,” Minho urges, and Jonghyun shrugs him off when he goes to pull him away.

 

Taemin’s jaw flexes as he grits his teeth, “ _Two_.”

 

“Are you _fucking_ her? Is that why she keeps summoning you? You’ve clearly known her identity for awhile now and you didn’t bother to let us in on the secret,” Jonghyun says with a dark laugh, leaning in uncomfortably close. Taemin doesn’t bother letting his anger rise, but Jonghyun’s proximity and his suggestive tone is bothering him, “Pretty boy Taemin is screwing his way to the top. Didn’t think you had it in you.”

 

Taemin tears Jonghyun’s grip off his collar and sends him reeling back with a solid head-butt. When Jonghyun comes at him again, he easily bats aside the dizzied, wayward punch he retaliates with and he grabs the side of Jonghyun’s head, throwing him belly-first against the car. Taemin has his face pressed against the window with one hand and his wrist twisted behind his back with the other, and he _pushes_ , threatening to break it.

 

“Wow,” Jonghyun grins, grunting and grimacing under Taemin’s hold, his spit smattering the glass, “Your response is telling.”

 

“What are you really pissed about? The fact that you needed me to do the job that you couldn’t?” Taemin knows he’s hit a nerve when Jonghyun seethes quietly under him, jaw wound tight. He leans in, “Wow. _Your silence is telling_.”

 

“Quit it, both of you,” Key tells them as he shifts to the trunk to unload his weapons, “Jesus fucking _Christ_.”

 

Taemin loosens his grip and Jonghyun pushes him off angrily, taking a walk. Taemin watches him go, a niggling weight in his stomach.

 

Jonghyun’s comments of his relationship with the High Elder are spur-of-the-moment, spoken purely to get a rise out of him. But he thinks of the possessiveness Calypso regards him with and the way she looks at him sometimes like she sees his father instead, and he doesn’t like the connection.

 

“What’s happening?” Minho asks, and Taemin snaps back into the present as Onew returns to the group.

 

Their leader shakes his head, clearly disappointed as his eyes flicker to each of them, “We’re being recalled for debrief.”

 

“What?” Taemin asks and glances over at Jonghyun who stands several meters away, fists flexing like he’s about to start ripping the ground apart with his bare hands, “But we _should_ go after them.”

 

Onew sighs, “I know. I _know_. But the High Elder is requesting our return.” He pulls the driver’s side door open and climbs into the SUV, “Time to go.”

 

Taemin knows everyone is disappointed, because while Jonghyun has been at his throat for the last two days, he’s absolutely right strategically in following their targets while they’re panicked. _Orders are orders_ , he thinks bitterly, and he moves around to the front passenger side. Key grabs him by the shoulders and redirects him to the back, however, and climbs in beside Onew before Taemin has a chance to protest.

 

He slides in beside Minho and shuts the door. Onew is clearly tense at being accompanied by Key in the front, having successfully avoided such proximity up until now, and he hits the dash screen with a heavy finger to distract himself. Taemin sees the sensor screen appear and zeroes in on the pulsing red dot.

 

 _Kai_.

 

“They’ve relocated to Seoul,” Onew states, and it’s lucky Jonghyun is stubbornly taking his time getting to the vehicle because he’d probably blow a fuse if he learned their targets were only a two and a half hour drive away.

 

“They’re probably attempting to hide in a higher volume area,” Key says.

 

“Meanwhile they’ll be putting more civilians at risk,” Onew adds with a sigh. Key looks pleased with himself at finally engaging him in conversation, no matter how small, “ _Great_.”

 

Onew starts the engine with the push button and Minho shoves the other door open, yelling at Jonghyun to hurry up. Jonghyun closes himself inside the SUV with a slam and gives Taemin the side-eye, like everything that is wrong in his life right now is solely _his_ fault. Taemin dismisses him instantly, turning to look out the window.

 

Minho, stuck in the center seat, looks between the two of them with exasperation. Then he sees Key and Onew who are stealing quick glances of each other in the front, and he gapes emotionlessly as the GPS logs their location and calculates the _six-hour_ _drive home_.

 

He sighs heavily, sinking back into his seat.

 

“Well, _this_ is gonna be fun.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kai teleports them into a secluded area of Namsan park.

 

It’s a pure stroke of luck that there aren’t many witnesses, and the few that are nearby have their backs turned and don’t notice the sound of Kai’s power over the noise of the lake’s large fountain feature. He observes their surroundings for immediate signs of danger, looking past the alcove of bush they’re in and he almost collapses with relief when everything seems safe, no matter how temporary. They’re probably being tracked right now, but he doubts they’ll get attacked in such a public place in broad daylight.

 

He turns to his brothers and does a quick check. Tao lies awake in Luhan’s arms while Luhan attempts to calm Tao’s heavy, panicked breathing. Baekhyun is still holding onto Sehun who remains unconscious, and Lay is instructing Chanyeol and Chen to elevate Suho’s legs and keep him warm. Xiumin tosses his jacket at D.O.’s face and tells him to cover up, and Kai panics a little when a very metal hand shifts the jacket into a makeshift hood.

 

D.O. catches Kai’s expression when he gets a brief peek of his brother’s shiny metallic face and he turns away, hiding himself.

 

Kai wants to say something but he needs to check on the others, “Is everybody okay?”

 

“We need time to recover,” Lay replies as he adjusts his jacket over Suho’s legs, “Suho’s in shock, and Tao and Sehun are low on blood.”

 

“What about you?”

 

Kai’s concern is for Lay, who is still too pale and exhausted for his liking. He thinks back to those several gut-wrenching minutes where Lay was gone from the world because he’d used his entire life-force to bring Kai back from the brink of death, and he doesn’t want a repeat performance.

 

“I’ll survive,” Lay answers with a frown, “But I can see your energy draining through your stomach and I want to know why.”

 

Kai is a little confused at the question, but then he remembers Taemin’s sword going through him so quickly and easily that it’d taken a while for the pain to register. He notices the wet patch that has formed on the outer layer of his coat and his fingers come away red.

 

“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

 

Lay shifts over immediately and tugs his coat open with a soft gasp, his voice angry, “That’s because you’re _bleeding out_ , Kai.”

 

Kai grabs Lay’s wrist when he puts his hand against his stab wound, trying to stop him, to get Lay to rest first but he’s too light-headed now that the adrenaline is wearing off and he can’t get his mouth to form the words. Kai slumps against him, and Lay calls him an _idiot_ , his voice heavy with worry and affection, but it’s dull, sounding far away.

 

He feels the strange sensation of the muscles and tendons in his abdomen pinching and pulling as they reconnect, and a sharp ache deep in his side as his broken ribs fuse back together.

 

The memory of Taemin’s piercing eyes is the last thing on his mind before he falls unconscious.

 

 

 

 

 

Luhan rouses him a little later by rolling a berry against his cheek, “Wake up, fearless leader. You need to eat.”

 

Kai opens his eyes to the sparkles of afternoon sun drifting through the trees above, and he finds Luhan and Xiumin looking down on him. Xiumin pulls him up and Luhan gives him a handful of what look like spiky pink cherries from the pile gathered in his jacket. His stomach almost growls as he remembers the taste of cherries from the dessert he was treated to during his earlier days in the palace back on Exo Planet.

 

“There were trees around the corner,” Xiumin explains, “Apparently they’re not really made for eating but Lay says it will help with the blood loss.”

 

“Added bonus, they taste sweet,” Luhan says as he pulls a berry apart and hands it to him, “Avoid the skin though. It’s pretty gross.”

 

Kai observes Luhan eat one, then follows his lead and starts gnawing on the flesh. They’re sweet and refreshing, like a mix of strawberry and melon and he grabs another when he’s finished, utterly famished now that his hunger has his full attention.

 

Luhan shifts the pile closer to him and tells him to eat as much as he can, and Kai can’t help feeling bitter about it. He doesn’t know when their next meal will come.

 

He sometimes finds a strange sort of comfort in living this way. The palace and even Ms. Jang had provided him with things he’d never had, and while they were appreciated, there was always that fear in the back of his mind that it could all be ripped away at a moments notice. Living with that constant worry hanging over his head was worse than surviving as a poor, hungry young boy with nothing to put his name to.

 

But he hates making his brothers live this way, running and hiding, scavenging for scraps and dirty places to sleep. He hates whatever the hell _Taemin_ is, whatever his people stand for, their reasons for coming after them. He hates how easily they were taken down, how unguarded and vulnerable they were and how close he was to losing the people he loves. They’re barely surviving, and Kai is so _tired_ of it.

 

He knows that another attack like that will be the end of them, and while he understands they were never meant to be here, he can’t stand the thought of going down without a fight. He lets himself imagine a glimpse of the future, the same kind that his kin have hopes of living, and he wonders why they can’t have it. What makes them so unworthy?

 

He glances around at his brothers as he eats his fill, trying to stem his hopelessness and rising anger.

 

Suho appears a little better where he lies stretched out on the grass, smoothing his hand gently over Tao’s forehead. Tao looks peacefully asleep on his chest but his hand is fisted in Suho’s shirt as if he’s afraid he’ll disappear. Xiumin informs Kai that the trauma of his injuries and his fear for both Suho and Sehun had forced a sizeable panic attack on Tao. Their leader collapsing with a hidden stab wound and broken ribs apparently hadn’t helped his state of mind either.

 

As long as Kai has known him, Tao has always enjoyed acting up his own importance – something Kai accredits to being raised an only child in a relatively wealthy family. But deep down beneath the attitude and stubbornness, Tao just wants to be led and protected by the brothers fate has gifted him. His vain attempts to nudge himself under Kris’ unwilling wing had been testimony of that.

 

Kai has seen Tao approach Suho with the same intention since the destruction of Exo Planet, and being the warm, caring young man he is, Suho accepted him without question. It’s only natural now that they have both sought each other out among the chaos.

 

Apparently Suho’s presence had calmed Tao down, and Suho’s shock had worn off as Tao’s body heat had brought him back to temperature. It’s the bonds his group of brothers have, Kai believes, that miraculously put them each back together when things get tough.

 

And he knows that if he doesn’t do something, Taemin and his people will destroy that. The idea makes him indescribably _furious_.

 

He sees Baekhyun lying with his arms around Sehun, keeping him warm as he talks softly with Chanyeol and Chen further away, and Kai says his name like a question, “Sehun?”

 

“Hasn’t woken up yet,” Luhan replies tentatively, “Lay had to do a lot of repair work. Some of the damage was spinal, cerebral. He’s going to need time.”

 

Kai clenches his jaw as he mulls over the extent of damage they’ve suffered, and he finally spots Lay as he sits quietly in the shade. His distance is unlike him, “How’s he coping?”

 

“He’s focusing on D.O.,” Xiumin’s answer is edged in worry, and Kai notices now that D.O. is in front of Lay, hidden in the darkness under Xiumin’s jacket, “Whatever it is…he can’t shut it off.”

 

“They’ve been meditating for half an hour now,” Luhan adds grimly, “Lay’s hoping that calming him will help his power recede.”

 

Kai’s heart goes to him as he looks at D.O.’s dejected, hunched figure, hiding away like he’s a monster of some kind. He absolutely detests the idea, that any of them could be anything wrong or disgusting. _Is that why those people attacked?_ He wonders, _Are we monsters to them?_

 

He thinks of D.O.’s power of strength and how it originally came from the instinct to protect his father, then the need to protect Kai until he was comfortable enough that it eventually became a natural part of his every movement. But this time he’s not protecting someone else, he’s shielding _himself_ , and Kai thinks it’s coming from a different part of him.

 

He pulls himself to his feet, discarding his last berry skin and wanders deeper into the shade. Lay looks up as he approaches with the intention of helping and Kai gestures to D.O., silently asking permission to try. Lay squeezes Kai’s arm as he leaves to check on Sehun, and Kai settles beside D.O. on the grass.

 

“Hey there.”

 

D.O. lets his eyes open when he hears Kai’s voice, and despite the fact that his entire bodily surface is now made of shiny metal, Kai can see the uncertainty in him, even if most of what he’s seeing is his own warped reflection staring back.

 

He lifts a finger and gently prods D.O.’s cheek. It’s hard and cool to the touch with an underlying warmth, like he’s been wearing it for too long.

 

“ _So_ ,” he says, “ _This_ is new.”

 

D.O. doesn’t look amused. If anything, he looks like he wants to curl further in on himself, and it hurts Kai to see his brother so unhappy in his own skin. He takes one of D.O’s hands and holds it between his own, pressing with his palms like perhaps his warmth may penetrate the metal barrier between them.

 

“I know you’re scared,” Kai tells him softly, “We took a heavy blow. We weren’t prepared. And while I’d love to tell you that it was a random one-off occurrence, I have no doubt in my mind that they’ll come for us again.”

 

D.O.’s solid silver eyes watch him, hanging onto his every word.

 

“But I’m going to make sure we’re ready for it, okay? I’m _done_ running, I’m _done_ hiding. We were made to save people, to protect them. Now it’s time for us to protect ourselves. You trust me, right?”

 

D.O.’s hesitant, but it’s not for lack of faith in Kai’s leadership. He looks like he wants to speak but he’s not sure how he’ll sound, so he settles on a small nod to answer him instead.

 

Kai runs his thumb over the smooth metal curve of D.O.’s knuckle, and he looks him directly in the eyes, concentrating his every sincerity on him. Kai believes his power trigger is different this time, that it’s not about his fear for others. He believes D.O is shielding himself because he doesn’t feel safe.

 

Kai feels protective, almost possessive of his kin, fierce in his decision to do everything and anything he can. They _will_ meet Taemin and his people again, and next time Kai has no intention of taking it lying down. He will fight until the ends of the earth to protect his family and Taemin won’t know what hit him.

 

“We’re going to get _stronger_ , and we’re going to _fight_ , and those guys won’t see it coming. We’re going to get through this, I promise.”

 

D.O. nods again, and the trust he has in him solidifies Kai’s drive to give his brothers every chance he can.

 

“I mean, _look_ at you, there’s no way anything can harm you like this. You’re completely protected. But when you’re not like this,” Kai taps his metal skin gently, “then it’s my job, okay? And I’m not going to let anything hurt you.”

 

Kai holds his gaze firm with everything that he has until he believes it, “Okay?”

 

D.O. nods affirmatively, and after a long pause, his smooth chrome shield turns grid-like and slowly begins to recede into little silver dots until it’s just him in his skin again.

 

Kai gives a relieved, bodily sigh and opens his arms, “Come here.”

 

D.O. shifts closer and burrows himself into Kai’s chest, his fingers coming up to grip the back of his coat and Kai rocks him gently, resting his cheek on D.O.’s head.

 

“Those guys don’t know who they’re messing with,” Kai mutters fiercely against his hair, a new plan already beginning to form, “And when they finally figure it out, _they’ll_ be the ones who run.”

 

 

 

 

Eventually Kai drags D.O. out of his solitude and back into the fold, and he takes his time to talk one-on-one with each of his brothers to ensure they’re all coping. Baekhyun, Chanyeol and Chen offload their worries, breathing a little easier now that the threat isn’t immediate, and Kai makes a point of telling them all how grateful he is. Chanyeol and Chen are one of the few variables that kept Suho alive, and Baekhyun had been calm and collected enough to keep everyone on task.

 

Baekhyun blushes a little under the praise and shrugs, “I’m not just the comic relief of the group, y’know.”

 

Kai nods and gives him a proud smirk, “I know.”

 

While Xiumin and Luhan keep watch, ensuring their presence isn’t grabbing any unwanted attention, Suho and Tao are both finally sitting up and eating, and Kai arranges his arms carefully around Tao and gives him a light hug, smoothing the palm of his hand up and down his spine when his brother gets a little teary. Tao is still weak and incredibly tender, a side effect of the mass of newly generated body tissue required to repair his horrific injuries. Suho on the other hand is much better, lending Tao his strength and support when he needs it.

 

Tao voices his worries about a possible rematch and almost works himself into another panic attack over it, but Suho keeps him calm and Kai assures them both that he has a plan. It’s the only thing he can do for now, giving them assurances that feel a little empty in the aftermath of what they’ve gone through. He’s so proud of everyone for how well they each fared under such pressure, and he wishes desperately that he could do more.

 

He and Lay talk for a while, exchanging tidbits of information they’d learned during their confrontation with the enemy. Sehun is still unconscious; his head cradled in Lay’s lap. It’s becoming a real concern.

 

“He’ll wake up when he’s ready,” Lay tells him, though he doesn’t sound as confident in his assessment as he usually does, “His body went through a lot and his mind needs time to recuperate.”

 

“But he’s fine, right?”

 

Lay looks upon the soft, vulnerable expression of Sehun’s resting face and strokes his thumb along his cheek, “I healed his body and put everything back the way it was. But I can’t heal minds.”

 

Kai gives his shoulder a brief rub, “You heal more than you think you do.”

 

His gaze is incredibly reverent when he looks up into Kai’s eyes, “Thank you.”

 

“Thank _you_ ,” Kai whispers back, and he clears his throat and looks away before he can tear up at how grateful he is for all Lay does.

 

 

 

 

Kai gathers everyone up. They’re quickly burning through the rest of their daylight, Sehun’s still down for the count and they have nowhere to go. They risk getting found if they stay here, and while his plan is hedging on drawing the enemy directly to them, getting attacked before he can put his plan into place isn’t the smartest option.

 

“I’m going to look for a new location,” he says, and it gets everyone riled and anxious as he predicted, “We need to get out of here before they can track us. I don’t know how they’re doing it, but they could be on their way right now and we’re not ready for round two yet.”

 

Chen frowns at his choice of words, “ _Yet?_ ”

 

“You mean for us to face them _again?”_ Luhan also voices his concern, “Do we even need to go into how suicidal that is?”

 

Kai accepts the skepticism, “I know how it sounds, but we have to assume it’s not over. We have to be prepared for another attack.”

 

“If they attack us again, we’re all dead.”

 

“No one is dying on my watch,” he reaffirms, catching Luhan’s renewed attitude, “We’re going to get through this.”

 

Everybody is clearly too stunned at the idea of going through today’s horror all over again, and no one is able or willing to say anything in response. Kai watches Luhan observe the worried, reluctant energy of their group and he takes it upon himself to do the questioning.

 

“How?”

 

Kai holds his head up high, unwavering in his confidence.

 

“Lay says they’re human,” Kai glances to him, “Right?”

 

Lay gives a tentative nod and explains his empathic assessment of their enemies to the group, “According to what I could sense of their individual auras, yes.”

 

“Which means they can’t do what we’re capable of,” Kai continues, “We didn’t know they existed yesterday, and we weren’t prepared for a fight. That is the _only_ reason they beat us.”

 

Tao suddenly speaks up, his tone careful and quiet. Having almost died has knocked his confidence down several notches.

 

“They handed our _asses_ to us, even with my martial arts background and Xiumin’s military training,” Tao says with a shake of his head, “There is no way we survive that, prepared or not.”

 

“I’m not talking about hand to hand combat,” Kai corrects him, “I’m talking about using our powers offensively.”

 

It’s the obvious solution to their problems, but it’s apparent no one else gave a thought to the idea. Their purpose has always been to do good and using their abilities to hurt people, even for the sake of their own protection, clearly doesn’t sit right with everyone.

 

“There are all kinds of reasons why that’s a bad idea,” Luhan finally speaks up.

 

Kai folds his arms, “Okay. So let’s talk them out.”

 

“Revealing all of our abilities to them, for starters. Who’s to say they don’t return next time with an _army?_ ”

 

“They could _already_ have an army. If we use our powers offensively, they can’t win.”

 

“Then what if we _kill_ someone. Do we really want to do that?”

 

“They’re trying to kill _us,_ ” Kai replies, “We need to protect ourselves. If that means they get a little hurt and my brothers walk away unharmed, I’m okay with that. We don’t have the luxury of thinking of a future. All I see are obstacles that we need to overcome _right now_. And _this_ is how we do it.”

 

Kai looks to his brothers, trying to gauge their reactions. Now that the option is out there, each of them are seeing in their own minds how it will go down. There’s a strong sense of reluctance as they weigh the possibility of hurting humans, but the thought of seeing each other killed overrules the morality struggle.

 

“It’s okay if you don’t agree,” he offers, “Let’s talk it out and decide together.”

 

Luhan speaks again after a few tense moments, “How will we use our powers offensively?”

 

Kai can see him slowly getting onboard. Luhan fighting him on most of the decisions he’s made lately hasn’t helped his confidence and he dislikes feeling as though he’s forcing them each against their will, so he’s grateful for the understanding Luhan is finally giving him.

 

“I’ll train each of you. I’m going to make sure we all get out alive.”

 

“And if they come for us again?”

 

“Then we’ll deal with that too. We’re going to take it as it comes.”

 

Xiumin finally speaks up, “You know that going head to head with full force means we’re declaring war.”

 

“Then it’s a war I intend on winning,” he answers, “I’m not going to let those guys chase us into a corner again. We know what they’re capable of, but they haven’t seen what we can do. We have the advantage here. We either run with it, or we keep running.”

 

The others are sharing looks, hesitant to speak up.

 

“But if we do this, we all have to be onboard,” Kai adds, glancing at Luhan, “No more split opinions. If one of us hesitates even for a second, it could…one of us could end up dead.”

 

Chanyeol and Chen are fidgeting uncomfortably and Kai understands why. Chanyeol isn’t capable of hurting a fly, and Chen was raised in a community of people who taught him peace and humility. They’re both some of the more benevolent members of their group, yet they each possess the most destructive powers – and Kai knows the damage Chen accidentally caused when he tried to revive Lay still weighs on his shoulders. Deciding on war won’t come easy for him.

 

It’s when the silence begins to stretch that Lay looks up from where he’s cradling Sehun’s head in his lap.

 

“I can’t fight, and I can’t ask you guys to fight for me,” he says quietly, pausing to gaze upon Sehun’s face once again, “But I want us to be safe. And if doing this keeps us safe…then I can’t disagree.” He looks to Chen, knowing the pressure this puts on him, “I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t be,” Chen replies softly with a shake of his head, a grim smile on his lips. He turns to Kai, “I’ll do what I can.”

 

“Me too,” Chanyeol pats Chen on the shoulder, “We’re all in this together, right?”

 

Suho glances worriedly at Tao beside him, clearly replaying their harrowing afternoon in his head before he voices his agreement. D.O., Xiumin and Tao do the same, and the group’s new collective determination lifts the atmosphere.

 

“I may not be able to do much,” Baekhyun adds, quirking an eyebrow at Lay, “But I can shine a light in their eyes if you wanna kick ‘em in the balls?”

 

Lay cracks a smile, and Luhan agrees with the majority vote, though he makes it clear that it’s with great reluctance.

 

Sehun abruptly wakes with a deep shattering gasp then, a hand shooting to his neck in a panic and Lay immediately tries to calm him, “Sehun-ah, _Sehun-ah_ …it’s okay. It’s _okay_. You’re safe.”

 

Kai watches helplessly as Sehun breathes in large, hoarse gulps of air like it’s drowning in his own blood all over again, his eyes wild and searching as Lay pets his hand over him gently, trying to reassure him with his touch while he pulls him closer.

 

“Shhhh, I’m right here,” Lay’s tone is new, something intimate that Kai hasn’t heard before and it’s meant for Sehun and no one else, “I’m right here and you’re okay. _You’re okay_.”

 

Sehun gets a hand behind Lay’s arm and presses himself closer, caging himself in Lay’s embrace where it feels safe and familiar. His breathing is clipped now, muffled against Lay’s shirt and sounding wet with the release of tears, and Lay holds him, rocks him gently, mouths a kiss on his forehead.

 

Kai thinks of their enemy, of Taemin trying to take _this_ away from them and his anger renews.

 

He won’t let them hurt his family again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upon their arrival back on base, Minho can’t get out of the SUV fast enough.

 

When he finally succeeds in pushing past Taemin and getting his boots on the metal floor of the compound’s vehicle hanger, he proceeds to declare the front passenger seat as his designated forever seat because he’s _had it_ with Taemin and Jonghyun’s death glares.

 

“Either kill each other or _fuck_ each other,” he screams to the late night air of the compound’s mountain landscape before the hanger doors can close behind them, “I don’t care which. Just get over yourselves before our next mission or I will _kill you both_.”

 

Taemin snorts at the ridiculous implication – that the bitter resentment between the two of them is anything remotely sexual in nature, _and_ that Minho is deluded enough to think he can best him in a fight let alone kill him – and he glances at Jonghyun with a ready threat on his tongue but it dies in his mouth when the older man storms off, color high on his cheeks. He also looks to Onew just in time to see his mouth thin out in a poor attempt of concealing his discomfort, Minho’s choice of words apparently too close to home.

 

Minho throws his hands up and follows Jonghyun’s lead and Onew does the same, leaving Key staring helplessly after him like the rejected party all over again, as if he’s been waiting for the moment when he would finally take him aside for a conversation everybody knows is long overdue.

 

“ _Taemin._ ”

 

He looks up to see Siwon suddenly approaching in urgent, powerful strides and he grabs Taemin unceremoniously, patting him down, turning his chin from side to side, checking for injuries.

 

“Are you hurt?”

 

“No.”

 

“Are you _sure?_ ”

 

Taemin restrains his wandering hands by the wrists and lifts an eyebrow at his mentor, “I’m sure.”

 

Siwon takes a few seconds to look for lies but breathes a little easier when he sees none. He calls to the others that the High Elder is expecting them in the mission room for debrief and waits for them to move out of earshot before he slings an arm around Taemin’s shoulders and walks him.

 

“The High Elder will want a play-by-play,” Siwon lowers his voice, “Any information you give her will help form the next mission, so be careful what you say. If there’s anything you need to keep secret, _bury_ it. Understood?”

 

“You’re telling me to disobey.”

 

“ _No_ ,” Siwon pushes him to a stop and lowers his voice further, “I’m saying that what she doesn’t know, she can’t use against you. I’m telling you to protect yourself.”

 

Taemin has known of Siwon’s rebellious streak for a while now and he finds he is equal parts excited and alarmed by it. Being raised among sheep, he likes knowing that there is someone that doesn’t blindly follow the rules, someone that lets his own instincts and thoughts guide his decisions. But he also understands that if the Elders were to ever catch Siwon defying said rules, his punishment would be unfathomable. Taemin doesn’t know why it risks it.

 

“Why do you distrust her so much?”

 

Siwon pats his own gut, “Because I don’t think anyone should trust anything more than they trust themselves.”

 

Taemin believes that _Siwon_ believes what he’s talking about, and that’s all he needs to know. He looks up into his mentor’s eyes, “I’ll come find you later.”

 

Siwon nods, lets him go, and watches Taemin as he reaches the pressurized door to the rest of the compound and slams a fist against the release button.

 

“I’m so glad you’re safe.”

 

Taemin glances over his shoulder at him, stuck for how to respond to Siwon’s blatant, honest verbalization of relief and he lets his head dip shallowly in a quick respectful bow before he steps through the door. He ignores the sincerity in Siwon’s voice, the concern in his eyes, and the way it makes the dark recesses of his own heart feel a little less shadowed but heavier all at once.

 

 

 

In the mission room, Onew relays the past week to the High Elder at length while the rest of them stand by. Taemin can feel Jonghyun’s seething satisfaction from the end of the line when their leader reluctantly confesses Taemin’s inability to follow orders. Onew shoots him a silent apology when the High Elder isn’t watching but Taemin shakes it off. He’d rather his leader tell the truth than get disciplined for lying on his behalf. It’s understood from a young age that disciplinary action in the life of the Sicarii isn’t to be taken lightly.

 

All the same, Calypso glances to Taemin curiously, “Disobeyed how?”

 

Onew sighs quietly, “He removed himself from recon activity while we were investigating in Sangju, and in Daegu he failed to follow battle protocol.”

 

Calypso steps in front of Taemin, her proximity and intensity probably more than enough to confirm whatever misunderstandings Jonghyun may have about the two of them.

 

“Why?” she asks him.

 

“I was following orders,” Taemin replies with his chin held high, eyes on the wall. Further to his left, he can hear Jonghyun scoff to himself from where he stands.

 

“Whose orders?” she asks, and it occurs to Taemin that not only does she know where this is going, but she’s _enjoying_ it.

 

She _wants_ him to admit to betraying his faction, to make an outcast of himself. She wants him to admit that he’s different to the rest of them, _special_ like she’s always stubbornly implied. His training since ranking up as a Master has been focused on team building, on taking up where your other members leave off, to be individually strong but powerful as a group. He doesn’t see the logic in why she wants to take him away from that now. It makes him angry, but he doesn’t want to think about why.

 

He looks her in the eye, almost hoping she’ll change her mind about outing him. It won’t do his credibility any good to appear as her personal errand boy. He has no intention of being her anything.

 

But she’s waiting patiently for an answer, her choice already made and he finds he has to fight the words beyond his lips.

 

“Yours _,_ sire.”

 

Taemin can feel Key, Minho and Jonghyun’s gazes suddenly burning holes through the side of his head, and Jonghyun blurts an indignant _“What?”_ before Onew forces him back in line.

 

Calypso continues like there is no one else in the room, “And what did you find?”

 

 _They’ll never look at me the same way again_ , Taemin thinks.

 

“The Artifact was communicating with another. I could see from my vantage point in the marketplace,” He goes on, and he closes his eyes to shut out the dawning horror now growing on his _leader’s_ face as he begins to put the previously-unknown pieces of the mission together, “I believed I could learn more if I observed him, so I followed as he rounded up ten others. I tracked them back to a rural house – there was evidence that they’d been living there.”

 

By the time he’s finished explaining the rest – how he sat back and let his faction members fight the battle on their own so he could further study the abilities of their enemies – the room is entirely silent. Taemin doesn’t dare look at his kin out of concern that their anger and disappointment, entirely deserved as it is, may affect him in some way. He can feel something unpleasant wriggle in his stomach at the vicious stares of his faction and the High Elder’s blatant show of praise for a job well done.

 

“Taemin, report to my chambers immediately – the rest of you are dismissed. I suggest you all get some sleep,” she says on her way out of the room, their debrief apparently over, “You’ll report in the vehicle hanger at zero four hundred hours for deployment.”

 

As soon as she’s gone, the tension in the room skyrockets. Jonghyun is barely restraining himself, wild and furiously jealous while Key, Minho and Onew seem equally shocked and disbelieving. Taemin wants to say something to defend himself, but he can’t get onboard with deflecting the blame when he knows that _he_ is the one responsible for this mess.

 

So he leaves without a backwards glance. And it’s not because he’s unable to face them any longer or feeling guilty for what he’s done. He leaves because the High Elder has ordered him to her chambers. At least that’s what he tells himself.

­

 

 

He takes his time walking through to the governing side of the compound, dreading each new turn in the corridor that brings him closer to the High Elder’s living wing. He could probably think of a thousand things he’d rather be doing – locking himself away in his bedroom, beating a punching bag or talking the mission out and gaining perspective from Siwon, just to name a few. But all he can think about is how much he does not want to be anywhere near the High Elder.

 

A reason for that is the way in which her chamber guards receive him now. Chungeun and Homin both give him weirdly envious and dismissive looks of contempt, like they’re thinking of _other_ reasons as to why Taemin is visiting her chambers so late at night. The way the High Elder herself receives him is another reason he’d rather be elsewhere.

 

She’s changed out of her body-fitting skirt, blouse and heels and approaches him now barefoot in a cleavage-bearing gown the color of deep jade. The fabric whispers along the floor tile as she comes to him and his entire body seizes when she lifts her hand to his face.

 

His fingers snap around her bare wrist before she can touch him, and there’s a weighted moment between them as he realizes he’s grabbed his superior without permission. He should be awaiting punishment with a lowered head, but he’s learned over the years that her rules have only ever been in place for anyone but him.

 

“I don’t like being touched,” he says lowly.

 

After the criticism he’s been dealt in the last few days and having to stand helplessly through her manipulation show in front of his faction, he can barely rein in the warning his voice carries. It sounds like a threat, and threatening the High Elder has indescribable consequences.

 

Calypso stares up at him now in a way she hasn’t before, willingly vulnerable and meek, and she’s so incredibly close that he can see the fine lines around the delicate skin of her eyes. She’s looking to him as if she is giving him the power to do with her what he will and he doesn’t like it. They both know she’s the one with the power here, yet her gaze tells him that she wants to hand it over. Taemin may not know the complexities of how women work, but in battle he knows that to relinquish power so willingly is to create a sense of false security before a fatal strike.

 

He believes his assumptions are likely close to the mark, but it doesn’t explain the trust she has in him, the safety she obviously feels in his presence. He doesn’t know when it changed, when her pride for the young boy he was grew into something _else_ for the man he has become.

 

“That’s a shame,” she speaks softly, like she’s comforting a wild beast, “It’s the natural urge of all living creatures to touch what is beautiful.”

 

She doesn’t move, just lets him stand there with her wrist in his hand. He gets the impression that she’s receiving pleasure from his touch despite its ultimate purpose to restrain her, so he retracts his fingers from her wrist and takes a step back.

 

“I assume you want a report on my findings.”

 

Her gaze moves delicately over his body, “Are you hurt?”

 

Both the question and the concern in her voice throws him, “I was uninjured, sire.”

 

She pauses, “You’re mad at me.”

 

That throws him too but he doesn’t give it any weight.

 

“I have no feelings towards you at all, sire.”

 

She doesn’t move, just stares into his eyes searchingly, scrutinizing the new guard he’s putting around himself with discontent, “Then why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“Like what, sire.”

 

“Like I’m the enemy,” she frowns, eyes narrowing, “And _stop_ with the formalities. I’ve told you time and time again that you have no need of them.”

 

“If it’s all the same to you, sire, I’ve also told you numerous times over the years that I’d rather be treated like everybody else,” he replies firmly, his stare meeting hers.

 

Several tense moments go by but Taemin finds a strange comfort in the possibility of punishment, of knowing that he’s back beneath her instead of on equal terms. He’s become too familiar with Onew’s affections and Siwon’s camaraderie and the trust and kinship of his faction members over the years, and he’s become too tolerant of the High Elder’s favoritism that he’d forgotten it was a place he didn’t belong. He wants to brush it all off and return to simpler times, back when he was the tiny fish fighting to survive in a vast pool of sharks. It all made sense then.

 

It’s apparent Calypso isn’t liking what she sees, and she finally turns away for her desk, “Tell me about the Artifacts.”

 

He’s all too happy to oblige.

 

“I confirmed eleven Artifacts, four of which displayed abilities,” he says almost mechanically, “Their leader is a teleporter and was our initial target in Sangju. He is why we are having trouble pinning them to one location.”

 

She cocks an eyebrow at him, “ _He?_ ”

 

“ _It_ , sire,” he corrects himself, “My apologies.”

 

She lets her eyes fall to the piece of paper beneath her finger on the desk, “And the others?”

 

“Another had the ability to conjure ice, which allowed them protection as they escaped. Another showed exceptional strength and shielding properties,” He then thinks of Onew’s shotgun and how it was stripped apart in mid-air by an unseen force, “There was also a telekinetic among them, though I didn’t see which of them it was. Three were fatally injured and I gravely wounded their leader, but they disappeared before we could confirm any deaths.”

 

She uncaps a pen and nods, scribbling something down, “How did the Artifacts appear physically?”

 

Taemin thinks back to everything he’s ever read about Artifacts in the Sicarii journals. There were those with wings and scales, others with grotesque, mottled skin. Giant beasts of death and destruction that required full-capacity factions to decimate, or biogenic arthropod-homosapien crossbreeds with the ability to wipe out mankind without so much as lifting a finger.

 

Then Taemin thinks of Kai.

 

He’d been immediately drawn to him in the marketplace, so uncertain but sure-footed like a trained soldier trying to disappear into a sea of civilians with a polite word here and an awkward smile there. He was so clearly attempting to fit where he didn’t belong, but Taemin couldn’t understand why. What sort of life did he live? What was he hiding from? What made him feel so separate from the people around him? Whatever it was, he’d wanted to know. He wanted to learn the reasons why this complete stranger looked how Taemin often felt.

 

Kai had been the first thing to catch his eye since their deployment, and Taemin hadn’t known then that he was the very threat they were hunting down.

 

Key had walked himself in circles trying to trace the signal on his sensor and he’d gotten one hell of a fright when his earcom had gone from telling him that his proximity to the target had turned into _contact._ Taemin had heard it through his own earcom from his place on the roof, saw Kai and Key staring directly at each other and realized with his pulse pounding away in his ears that the guy he’d been watching was the _Artifact_.

 

He’d proceeded to watch as the Artifact had snapped quickly and subtly back into his own mission, sending his people to safety while he drew the danger away himself, and his proficiency in doing so was the only thing that had Taemin concerned about what kind of enemy they were really dealing with. Aside from that, Taemin couldn’t identify him as the same deadly monstrosities he’d been learning to kill his entire life.

 

When they’d finally come face to face in Daegu, Kai had thrown up a mental guard as thick as reinforced steel, readying himself as if he were the protector of his people and no matter what Taemin did, he would stop him or die trying. The Artifact clearly had a code and Taemin had read between the lines, found _honor_ of all things hidden there in his gaze. And in the space between them, Taemin had hesitated to attack. He was taking that particular secret to the grave.

 

He also remembers his katana slicing through Kai’s stomach cleanly, the muscle and organs giving way to his blade without resistance right before the ice wall had encased his sword in its grip. He can still feel it in his own arm like a phantom tremor, Kai’s inherently human fragility. These Artifacts are nothing like the books said they’d be.

 

Taemin looks down at his left hand now and sees the dried remains of Kai’s blood on his skin. He’d thought to bring it in for testing, but something in his gut is now telling him to keep it away from her. He thinks of Siwon, ponders what he’d do in such a scenario and he finally locks his hands behind his back. Choosing to follow instinct.

 

“Human,” Taemin finally answers, and her head comes up in surprise, disbelief apparent in the look she gives him, “The Artifacts appeared human.

 

“Human?” she asks, “How so?”

 

Taemin tightens his jaw, “Their leader looked close to six feet tall, lean build, brown hair and eyes. He was wearing heavy-soled black leather boots, black pants, a grey v-neck shirt and a black coat. He bled like a human when I ran him through with my sword and if I hadn’t seen him teleport with my own eyes, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

 

She seems just as shocked as he’d felt at the revelation, but she soon recovers and tilts her head at him, “How do you know this Artifact is the leader?”

 

“The others looked to him for command. He seemed to be calling the shots.”

 

Calypso drops her pen on her desk in annoyance, “I don’t care if they appear human. They are abominations that do not belong here and as such, we will not address them as _he_ or _him_. Do you understand?”

 

“Yes, sire,” Taemin answers obediently. She’s absolutely right. He’s meant to kill these things, not humanize them.

 

She sits down on her grand desk chair, her attention now on other pressing matters. It’s a dismissal if ever he saw one, and he’s satisfied that she’s no longer treating him like something precious, “Is there anything else you can think of before you go?”

 

 _His name is Kai_ , Taemin thinks, but he locks his jaw and keeps it to himself.

 

“No, sire.”

 

“Then you may return to your room,” she says, doesn’t even bother to lift her eyes.

 

He gives a shallow bow and leaves without another word.

 

 

 

 

Taemin has his sleeveless jacket half removed when he pushes through into his room ten minutes later. All thoughts for a shower disappear when he notices Onew waiting for him, standing next to his side table with his fingers paused on the beaten cover of Taemin’s _The Ancient Art of Silat_ book. It doesn’t take long for him to get to his point.

 

“You knew,” Onew states grimly, “You knew there was eleven of them before we went up against them. And you said _nothing_.”

 

Taemin sighs and shuts the door behind him, tugs the rest of his jacket off and tosses it on the floor, “It wasn’t very pro-team of me, I’m not denying that.”

 

“Then why did you do it?” Onew snaps, “One of us could have been _killed_.”

 

“I was following ord---”

 

Onew jabs a finger at him, “ _Bullshit_. You were the one who thought hanging us out as bait was a smart idea---!”

 

Taemin doesn’t have the time or the patience to be attacked again so soon. He needs to see Siwon, and he just wants to shower and collapse into his own bed and sleep off the last week. He understands his faction are pissed, betrayed, had their feelings hurt by his decision to do his job and if he wasn’t so tired he would let them take out their frustrations on him.

 

But such drama doesn’t belong in his world. As Sicarii, they have a job to do and in his mind, as lethal warriors raised and forged to protect the planet from extraterrestrial threats, there is no room for anything _but_ the job. The Sicarii training manual he grew up with never said anything about forming relationships or harboring affections or familial bonding.

 

He’s kept his chin clean all these years, has gone above and beyond everything his superiors have ever expected of him, and he hasn’t let his brain get muddled with outside distractions. He’s been the perfect soldier. The things other people have wanted from him – friendship, trust, affection – he won’t give, and the disappointment they feel when he doesn’t meet them halfway is frustrating because _they’re_ the ones who aren’t following the code, not him.

 

He’s also not blind to the miserable mess Onew and Key have made of themselves, and that particular fallout has been an ongoing thing for years now. _Feelings_ caused all of that, feelings they should never have allowed to develop in the first place. Taemin has no intention of falling into the trap of such weaknesses. He just wants to be left alone to do his _damn job_.

 

“---that was all _you!_ What am I supposed to do with that? How am I supposed to trust you?!”

 

“Then _don’t trust me,_ ” Taemin finally growls, having had enough, “I never asked for your trust. I never wanted your affections. There is no room for any of that in the lives we lead and you’re all stupid to believe otherwise. We live by the code, for the job. _That’s it._ I am not you, so quit projecting your feelings onto me.”

 

“At least I _have_ feelings,” Onew bites.

 

“Yeah, ‘cause those have been working out so well for you,” Taemin hits back, getting his leader right where he knows it hurts. That’s the problem with feelings. They’re nothing but a target to stab at.

 

Onew takes a step back, his hands trembling, looking distraught and bitter at himself, at Taemin, at the circumstances. But as the silence stretches on, he visibly pulls himself back together.

 

“Throw words at me all you like, it won’t stop me from caring,” he says, calmly now, “And no matter how much you fuck things up, that won’t stop me from caring about you either.”

 

Taemin shakes his head at him, “Then you’re a fool.”

 

“Then I’m a _necessary_ fool,” Onew tells him, “Your life has been harder and less forgiving than most and I think that means you, more than anybody, need someone to have your back.”

 

Taemin’s blood is suddenly boiling at the mention of his upbringing, and his voice is sharp and cutting when he responds, “Don’t you _dare_ fucking pity me.”

 

“It would be so much easier for you if I _did_ pity you, wouldn’t it? It would give you the excuse you need to beat me to a pulp.”

 

Taemin can feel something unraveling in the back of his chest where he keeps all of the shitty things he’s ever experienced tightly locked away, and he looks at Onew incredulously, uncertain of the new tactic he’s employing, “Are you _looking_ for a fight?”

 

“If that’s what you want. Hit me, push me away, do whatever you need to compartmentalize, but I won’t give in and I won’t ever give up,” Onew pledges firmly, and he doesn’t break eye contact even as Taemin gets directly in his face, “I’m not just going to stand back and let you believe that you’re alone in this world.”

 

Onew looks upon him now as he always has – with pride, with a soft admiration, and with a deep, aching sadness that says he would carry Taemin’s traumas and tribulations if it were possible for him to do so. Taemin holds onto his hostility like a shield and waits for him to give up, to get angry and leave in a fit of frustration.

 

Instead, Onew presses a slip of paper to Taemin’s bare chest, “Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”

 

Taemin doesn’t move as Onew leaves the room and quietly closes the door behind him. It takes him several moments to pull himself through the chaos of his own thoughts and when he finally does, he stares down at the paper in his hands.

 

_Meet me at the tree_

– _Siwon_

 

He sighs, grabs the pack of matches from his nightstand and goes to burn the note in the bathroom sink, something Siwon had always demanded he do whenever he receives such things and that Taemin had always agreed to, if only to avoid one of his mentor’s lectures about failing to comply. He drops the paper into the sink as the flame takes over, and he rinses the ash and burnt remains down the drain when it’s done.

 

He’d had the desire to set the shower to the hottest possible setting and stand beneath the spray until it ran cold, but with his mentor waiting for him, the luxury of zoning out will have to wait for another time. So, he showers quickly and pulls on a hoodie, sweatpants and his pair of sneakers, then maneuvers his way around the night guards patrolling the initiate dormitory until he’s outside the compound.

 

 

 

Further along the shadowed landscape of the mountain, Taemin finds Siwon sitting at their frequent meeting place beneath the Manchurian maple tree. He wraps his arms around himself against the cold night air as he approaches, and Siwon looks up from whatever he’s doing, suddenly scattering the maple’s fallen autumn leaves around him. Taemin notices the unnatural smile Siwon gives him and knows there’s something hidden behind it, but he doesn’t bother prying. Siwon has always had his secrets.

 

“How’re you doing?” he asks, patting the ground beside him.

 

Taemin carefully sits down, feeling the fatigue of the last week finally seizing his muscles. He’s never been one for complaining though, so he goes right into retelling the events of the mission since he’d left the compound a week ago; the reconnaissance, the confrontation in Daegu.

 

Then he speaks of the motel rooms, the open road, the city lights…things he saw as they traveled that he’d only ever experienced through books. It does cross his mind that perhaps he shouldn’t be – the High Elder had sworn him to secrecy during her private briefing of him prior to his deployment – but Siwon has always been able to pick up on things Taemin wouldn’t have thought to and he feels the need of his mentor’s guidance right now more than ever.

 

He believes the High Elder knows more about the Artifacts than she’s letting on, he can’t find the logic in her attempts to play him off against his faction. And despite turning a blind eye in the past, he can’t seem to push down the familiar feeling that something isn’t adding up.

 

The High Elder has reset the unspoken game of chess that sits between the two of them, while Onew’s anger and pain is pulling on threads that he wasn’t even aware he possessed…and both are distractions he doesn’t need or want. Siwon’s unusually overwhelming paranoia has him on edge and then, _then_ there’s Kai.

 

He may have shoved his confrontation with the Artifact leader into the shadows of his thoughts, but he’s still there, breathing in the dark like a nuisance. Taemin’s not arrogant enough to believe his stab wound bested him, and he’s certainly not ignorant to the fact that Kai and his people don’t fit the picture his Sicarii ancestors have depicted of Artifacts in the past.

 

They aren’t the same big dumb animals – all brute force and no brains – that Taemin grew up learning to kill, and he finds he’s _angry_ about that. It’s not the fact that Kai wears a human face, or how easily Taemin was able to wound him. It’s the feeling in the pit of his stomach that some crucial part of information has been kept from him all this time, and he doesn’t appreciate the air of hesitation it gives him.

 

There are too many variables that just don’t add up and he’s itching for someone to explain everything. He needs things to be simple again.

 

“When did you know?” Taemin keeps his voice low, quiet, “That the Artifacts were coming?”

 

Siwon shifts, wraps his arms around his knees, “When they were detected a little over a month ago, when they tripped the beacons.”

 

“And that’s why Minho, Key and Jonghyun were promoted so quickly.”

 

Siwon nods, “A fully-ranked faction is ten members, _minimum_ , and five is all we could manage at such short notice. There’s not a lot of will in the initiates to make it to the top these days. I believe that’s why I was promoted to Elder, to light a fire under some of these kids.” He sighs heavily like he’s finished giving Taemin the company line, like he’s tired of speaking untruths. “But five against _eleven_ …I should have been there with you.”

 

Taemin agrees, “I don’t understand why you were held back. Promotion or not, you should have been with us.”

 

“It wasn’t by choice,” Siwon answer is a tense whisper, quietly furious, and his entire demeanor seems to be alight with something Taemin can’t place, something aggressive and anxious, “There are so many things I want to tell you.”

 

Taemin shifts forward; this is what he’s been waiting for. “Then _tell_ me.”

 

Siwon shakes his head, agitated, and his knees jitter restlessly in the circle of his arms. He changes the subject, “So, your faction are pissed.”

 

Taemin pauses to observe his mentor and doesn’t like what he sees. Siwon has been a bundle of frayed nerves since he returned and he has no clue as to why. He means to ask what has got him so wired up, but Siwon sees the question brewing in his eyes and shakes his head again, refusing to budge.

 

He sighs, his mind reluctantly going back to his confrontation with Onew, “Understatement.”

 

“Can you really blame them?” Siwon asks, an eyebrow raised.

 

Taemin shrugs it off, pushing Onew’s disappointment out of his mind’s eye, “I was just doing my job.”

 

“At the expense of your team’s safety,” Siwon uses the same tone in his voice that always makes Taemin check himself, “I don’t care which way you dress it up in that head of yours. It wasn’t right.”

 

His immediate reaction is to go on the defense, “I was following her orders---”

 

“And did those orders feel _right_ to you?”

 

“It was the logical decision to gather intel,” Taemin fires back, “Correct information is paramount to the success of the mission.”

 

There’s a slow dawning horror in Siwon’s gaze, “You’re sounding an awful lot like the High Elder.”

 

“What do you want me to say?” Taemin hisses quietly, “That I hated doing it? That I felt bad? I felt bad, I felt guilty. I _still_ feel guilty. Is that what you want to hear?”

 

Siwon’s voice is low and biting in the stillness, “You left your team to _die_ out there. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that was the best logical choice? I don’t care who gave you the order, orders should _never_ trump your conscience.”

 

“Am I supposed to have a conscience?”

 

Siwon looks genuinely spooked, “ _Yes_ , Taemin, _you are_.”

 

Taemin turns his head away, “Now you sound like Onew.”

 

“Onew is a good man, a _smart_ man---”

 

“Onew is _weak_ ,” Taemin growls, “He lets his heart rule his head. There is no place for that on the battlefield.”

 

“Onew and his heart were _on_ that battlefield fighting for the cause when you wouldn’t,” Siwon tells him off like he’s a petulant child but its edge with panic, and it raises his hackles, “Think about _that_.”

 

Taemin is ready to get up and leave, having heard enough.

 

“Do what you have to, but do it by your own instinct,” Siwon goes on, and Taemin slams his hand to Siwon’s chest as a defensive reflex when his mentor crowds him against the tree stump, jabbing his fingers at Taemin’s stomach forcefully to emphasize his next words, “ _This_ is where your instincts are. _You have to listen to them_. Think up whatever scenarios or variants you like, but run them past _this_ before you act. Let _yourself_ make the decisions, not someone who’s too busy thinking of the greater good. Because I can assure you, at the end of the day? That greater good does not include either of us.”

 

Taemin refuses to budge, his iron grip on Siwon’s jacket holding him at bay. Siwon looks _scared_ , Taemin realizes, but he doesn’t understand the reason for it. He only sees the fear, the concern, the silent plea staring back at him and the same dark pit that has weighed in his stomach since his Parem Bellum four years ago tells him to shut up and take notice.

 

They’re startled apart by the sound of boots further around the training gym building, and Siwon drags Taemin away from the tree, pressing them both into the shadows against the gym wall. When the night guard appears from around the edge of the building, Taemin slinks backward around the adjacent corner, guided by Siwon’s hand between his shoulder blades.

 

They dodge the next night guard effortlessly, having had many nights of practice. When they’re home free, Siwon snatches the sleeve of Taemin’s hoodie and yanks him close.

 

“Have you been using a trigger word?” he suddenly murmurs.

 

“Yes,” Taemin nods, whispers back, “Everyday, like you told me to.”

 

“And you’ve never forgotten it?”

 

He shakes his head, thinking of today’s word of choice: _Achilles_ , a weakness to exploit, “Not once.”

 

In the darkness, Siwon looks tense but mightily relieved at his answer, despite the strange anxiousness about him. Siwon has never been anything but the epitome of balanced, and Taemin thinks maybe its time for his mentor to start sharing his deep dark secrets.

 

“Tell me what’s going on,” Taemin demands quietly, gripping Siwon’s arm when he glances around to survey the moonlit yard, “ _Sunbae_.”

 

Siwon grabs him by the nape of his neck and escorts him back inside the building, “I’m not getting you involved in my problems.”

 

“What problems?”

 

“Go,” Siwon pushes him in the direction of the initiate wing and waits for him to leave, “ _Go_. I’ll see you off in the morning.”

 

Taemin takes several steps backward, watching his mentor staring back at him with a strange mix of sadness, determination and deep-set worry that wrenches something in the pit of Taemin’s stomach. Siwon seems to be fighting with himself momentarily, as if he’s seconds away from spilling everything but his lips remain stubbornly shut.

 

 _Obey but never trust,_ Siwon has always told him, and as Taemin finally turns away to sneak back to his room, he finds the words cemented in his thoughts like a premonition of things to come.

 

 

 

 

 

Taemin reports to the vehicle hanger in the morning, slinging his bag from his shoulder and stuffing it between the other luggage in the trunk.

 

He hadn’t expected the atmosphere to improve any, so he’s not surprised to discover Minho and Key are pretending he doesn’t exist. He _is_ surprised at how suspiciously calm Jonghyun seems, however, and the dirty little smirk he wears when he catches Taemin’s eye is entirely smug and simmering with the unknown. Taemin would ponder the reason for it if he actually cared.

 

Other members of the Sicarii wander about in the hanger, technicians completing final checks on their weaponry and the SUV before they are cleared for departure, and Taemin vainly tries to spot Siwon among them. But he’s not here.

 

Onew finishes up with one of the techs and signs off the SUV, and Key, Minho and Jonghyun climb into the vehicle. Onew makes his way to the driver’s side and yanks the door open. Taemin remains where he is, searching for Siwon and coming up empty. He can’t help the niggling feeling that something is wrong.

 

“Taemin,” Onew calls his name. There is no hint of resentment, no evidence of last night’s argument in his voice, just an unspoken order.

 

Taemin reluctantly moves towards the SUV, eyes tense on the pressurized entryway like his mentor could walk through it at any moment and he climbs in, shutting the door. Minho sits peacefully in the front passenger seat away from the tension while Key sits in the divide between Jonghyun and Taemin. He is _clearly_ psyched to be there.

 

“One word,” he warns the both of them under his breath, “One fucking word from either of you and I’ll gouge your fucking eyes out.”

 

Taemin tugs his hood up and settles against the door, closing his eyes. Sleeping through the long drive and avoiding the drama in the car is, in Taemin’s opinion, a far better use of his time.

 

 

 

 

 

He gets jostled awake only a few hours later to the sharp sounds of arguing, and inadvertently slams his head against the seat when Key’s voice hits an octave he’s never heard at such proximity before, bellowing angrily at Onew in the driver’s seat.

 

“Pull the fuck over, Jinki!” he’s yelling, and Taemin would be impressed at Key’s blatant informalities if he didn’t have to cover his ears, “ _Pull over_ _now!”_

 

Onew slams on the breaks and the SUV fishtails briefly before it skids to a halt on the side of the road. Taemin peers an eye open enough to catch a glimpse of their vast country surroundings before Key is part shoving, part climbing over a half-asleep, fairly annoyed Jonghyun and bursting out of the car. Onew runs his hand through his hair and huffs, immensely worked up. He rips the handbrake on and tears his seatbelt away with a fierce snap and throws the door open, slamming it shut behind him.

 

Taemin wills himself to go back to sleep but he hears snippets of the argument across the road and his head pops up just enough to see through the window. Six years of accumulated resentment, pent-up frustration and unrequited sexual tension is finally getting unleashed and Taemin’s surprised they picked today of all days to finally confront each other.

 

Jonghyun mumbles groggily, something that vaguely resembles ‘ _about fuckin’ time’_ and settles back against the headrest. Minho murmurs a sleepy agreement from the front passenger seat and pulls his jacket over himself, hunching down.

 

Taemin doesn’t intend to eavesdrop on what is clearly a very personal, private, albeit loud conversation between two of his kin, but Key’s anger and pain is unwavering and grand in scope, and Onew’s carefully locked-away feelings sound as though they’re about to come out into the open for the first time.

 

Taemin watches as Onew grabs Key by the arms and gives him one solid shake, and whatever he says quietly and lowly through his teeth immediately shuts Key up. Onew releases him and combs his fingers through his hair, taking a step back, shifting his weight on his feet. He wipes his hand over his mouth as if his words have spilled too far over his lips while Key remains still, having not moved an inch. Onew pulls himself away and returns to the car, and Taemin slides down to give his leader the illusion of privacy as he climbs back into the driver’s seat. The SUV rocks when he furiously slams the door shut beside him.

 

It takes a few minutes but Key also returns, climbing carefully over Jonghyun and shutting the back door before sliding into the middle seat between them. The long awkward silence that fills the car has Taemin turning his head, and he sees Key staring forward, directly at the rearview mirror where Onew is narrowly avoiding his gaze.

 

Onew forces the vehicle back into gear and releases the handbrake with the same kind of striking power it would take to smash someone’s nose back into their brain and steers them back onto the road. The SUV briefly shudders in the rear as it kicks up dirt and gravel, and then they’re on their way again with dangerous speed.

 

Taemin has opinions – on their ill-placed feelings, on their actions from here on out, on how it will affect their mission – but he keeps them to himself. He’s already greatly responsible for the deterioration of the group dynamic as it is and pointing the finger at Onew and Key isn’t going to help matters. So he closes his eyes and wills himself back to sleep, hoping that the next time he wakes up, he’ll get to kill something.

 

 

 

Key elbows him another hour later, and Taemin slowly comes awake to the thrum of sudden anticipation in the car.

 

“We’re twenty minutes out,” Onew calls from the front, “Time to start preparing yourselves.”

 

He’s wide-awake and ready to go when they arrive at an abandoned paper chemical factory situated on the outskirts of Sinyeong-Dong, Seoul. It’s vast and derelict and utterly silent, no civilians for miles which is a good sign, but Taemin takes in the sheer size of the building and it concerns him that there are too many places for the enemy to hide.

 

He eyes the remains of the building warily, “Do we have floor plans?”

 

“The place is too old,” Onew answers him, “The blueprints are probably on paper locked up in a local archive instead of in the system.”

 

“So, we go in blind then?”

 

“Why, you suddenly worried about what happens to your team, hero?” Minho shoots at him, though he appears more bitter than angry. Taemin’s little betrayal has clearly burned him too.

 

Onew pulls his broadsword from its case and slides it through the sheath across his back, “We’re gonna split up. Jonghyun, Key, take the east wall, Minho and I with take the north and west. Taemin, take the south.”

 

Jonghyun pauses as he sheaths his Scimitar blades across the back of his shoulders, “You’re sending Taemin in by himself?”

 

“Does he need a watchdog?” Onew answers back, acquiring his dagger and unclipping his gun case, “Let’s not delude ourselves. Taemin is perfectly capable of looking after himself.”

 

Taemin sees the look Jonghyun briefly flicks at him, and he’s certain he already _has_ a watchdog.

 

They each gear up with their trademark weapons – Key packs on his glock, mechanized bow and arrows and a pair of long daggers, Minho grabs his shield, arm sword and Karambit blades and Jonghyun slides his pair of Tonfas through his belt, ready to go. Taemin sheaths his Sai blades, Katana and dagger on his body and unpacks the newest weapon gifted to each of them by the High Elder – an HK416 rifle.

 

“Find a vantage point. If the teleporter is still alive, take him out. We can’t risk them escaping again,” Onew commands Key, and Key nods, dropping his eyes away. Onew starts pushing coms into each of their right ears, “I want radio silence unless it’s absolutely necessary. I don’t want the wave jammed with a bunch of bullshit bickering.”

 

Onew fits a com into Taemin’s right ear and lowers his voice, his tone one of warning, “If you have any more special orders, you leave them in the car or we’re gonna have a problem. Hear me?”

 

Taemin bites down on his molars and fingers the handles of his Sai blades, taking his leader’s thinly veiled threat, “Yeah, sunbae.”

 

“ _Good_ ,” Onew steps back to address the team and begins to lead them across the field, “Let’s go.”

 

They all move in to trace the outer perimeter of the building and Taemin watches each of his members as they disappear from sight, rifles raised ready at their eye-lines. He scours the south end of the building as per his orders, finding cracks in the walls and broken windows to check for visuals, and it's not until he finds a ground-level window completely free of glass that he can effectively breech the building without alerting anyone inside to his presence. He lifts himself through and lands softly, practiced and measured into an empty room before readying his gun again.

 

“I'm in on the south,” he quietly confirms, waiting until he hears news of the others making their way inside.

 

Upon Onew's command, Taemin investigates each room he passes and begins to work his way through to the center of the building. But he's not seeing anything, and every passing moment that he comes up with nothing adds an extra beat to his pulse.

 

“ _Has anyone seen anything?”_ Onew's voice comes low and quiet through his earcom.

 

“Negative,” Taemin answers. His mouth twitches in frustration as the others all confirm the same thing, “Is the signal still live?”

 

“ _It's still here. Still one seriously big power signature,”_ Minho replies, _“They're all here somewhere.”_

 

Onew adds, _“Alright, move in. Eyes and ears peeled.”_

 

The rooms grow darker as Taemin continues forward, and he depends on his infrared lense scope for visuals, but each room comes up empty. It's when he finally sees natural light at the end of the corridor that he hears Key whispering in his ear.

 

“ _I've got eyes on the teleporter.”_

 

Taemin's adrenaline suddenly spikes at the mention of Kai, and then he _sees_ Kai as he shifts down the corridor and into the sunlight.

 

He stands alone among the decrepit remains of the wide, empty heart of the building, tall and broad and haloed in the sun pouring through the second storied windows. Taemin's not entirely surprised to see he survived – he pegged him for smart in the marketplace back in Sangju. He's a little curious though as to why Kai doesn't appear to look like he's just survived a serious, penetrative stomach wound. In fact, he looks absolutely untouched. And he is unnervingly _calm_.

 

Taemin catches a glimpse of Key through a half collapsed wall on the second floor, bow and arrow trained on Kai, awaiting orders, and he sees Onew, Minho and Jonghyun in his peripheral at ground level, guns raised at the ready as they each slowly close in.

 

“ _Kibum_ ,” Onew whispers through the coms, “ _At will_.”

 

“Well, look who it is,” Jonghyun pipes up loudly, and Taemin knows it's a tactic to hold Kai's attention away from Key in order to afford him an opening. Kai's gaze shifts steadily to Jonghyun as intended, “Captain Alien himself.”

 

Key shoots, his arrow speeding true and soundlessly for Kai's heart, and Kai disappears in a fierce, tumultuous shift of wind so violent that it rips the dirt and paper remains scattered on the ground into the air. Key's arrow hits the broken shards of brick meters behind where Kai once stood. He would have got him.

 

“ _Shit_ ,” Minho mutters, and he and Jonghyun shift their guns, looking for Kai.

 

They all wrench their rifles up at the sound of Key's sudden scream from above, and Taemin hears the telltale signs of Kai's power – the bang of a sharp gust of wind – and knows he's gone again; Key's scream goes with him, dissipating like a shout through fog.

 

“He's got him,” Taemin confirms, readjusting his grip on his gun, “ _He's got Key_.”

 

“Fuck,” Onew visibly panics, “ _Fuck!_ ”

 

“We need to distract him,” Taemin urges the group, sensing his leader is letting his emotions realign his priorities, “He’s too fast for a direct attack.”

 

Kai suddenly reappears in the center of the room exactly where he stood previously, the ends of his jacket whipping behind him, wind cracking against the far walls, “Let’s try this again.”

 

Onew yells furiously, “ _Where is he?!_ ”

 

“ _Sunbae!_ ” Taemin barks back, imploring him to get his head back on the mission. Kai seems to observe something _else_ behind Onew’s panic, and Taemin can see him mentally filing it away. He doesn't like the idea that the enemy is learning something about them.

 

“I don’t like being shot at,” Kai says, words catching on the edges of his teeth like a threat.

 

“Then how about tackled down and _beaten_ to death. Because that can be arranged,” Jonghyun sends back scathingly, and Taemin sees Minho subtly begin to shift stance, intending to circle the room and attack from behind. Taemin moves in the opposite direction, intending to catch Kai's eye in the hope that he can get Minho a chance at a successful attack.

 

“You can try,” Kai answers, gaze narrowing, “But you’ll fail.”

 

Jonghyun continues to talk, offering distraction, “Where are the other abominations? Off mourning your dead?”

 

“All safe and sound, despite your best efforts,” Kai replies steadily, so steadily that Taemin's stomach twists at the realization that he's not lying. They really _did_ all survive.

 

That information causes a collective pause in the group's movements. Taemin had ripped one of their necks open with a bullet, had gutted another like a fish and watched them essentially bleed out with no visible signs of regeneration – injuries impossible to survive even with immediate medical aid. He shares a look with Onew, and they both seem to be thinking the same thing – the Artifacts must have a _healer_ among them.

 

Taemin also catches the way Kai's words fall – he's alone. The confirmation that Kai's power signature was the one to lead them here causes the hairs on his arms to lift. Since learning of their numbers, they'd been under the assumption that the power signature they'd been tracking was that of all eleven Artifacts. It'd been measured, the most powerful signature recorded in Sicarii history, powerful enough to trip several beacons at once. The reality that it's just him, just _Kai_ , is something of terrifying concern.

 

Minho, having aligned himself with the back of Kai's head, pulls the trigger on his rifle without warning. Kai flits out of existence quicker than the bullet itself, and Jonghyun takes off towards Minho, perhaps predicting he'll be Kai's next target. Except Kai re-emerges to the side of _him_ instead, catching him across the collar with an outstretched arm so quick that it knocks Jonghyun off his feet and sends him crashing to the floor with enough force to steal the breath from him. Taemin watches as Kai winks out of existence _again_ , then as he finally materializes behind Minho and takes him away. Another second passes and then Jonghyun disappears, too.

 

He's _far_ too quick.

 

Onew makes a mad dash for Kai's spot, intending to catch him when he materializes again, but Kai reappears, grabs him by the shoulders and throws him to the ground before Taemin can blink. Onew disappears in a rush of howling wind and debris and Taemin is suddenly all alone.

 

He takes to breathing in through his nose and out through his lips, trying to lower his erratic heartbeat while simultaneously wondering where his team are and what his next move should be. He can feel his pulse battering the insides of his wrists and neck, and he holds his growing panic at bay, decides to use it as added fuel for his adrenaline.

 

Kai appears again in the middle of the warehouse, his dark eyes intense as he stares back at him.

 

Taemin slings his gun over his head slowly and drops it to the ground. He's not a fan of guns in general, but he's also hoping to play on some of the honor he saw in Kai back in Daegu. He pulls his Sai blades free, feeling more at home with their handles against his palms, and he starts moving left in slow, measured steps. His proximity forces Kai into his orbit.

 

As they circle each other, Taemin calms himself, focuses on his breathing and takes the opportunity to read Kai's stance, to see his balance and where he grounds himself.

 

“You’re clearly not messing around,” Taemin says, “What have you done with them?”

 

“I’ve given them a time-out,” Kai replies casually, but his tone carries a humble amount of caution. He believes he has control of the situation but he doesn't wish to test it with any unnecessary cockiness. It's a respectable mix, one Jonghyun could do to learn from in Taemin's opinion, “I’m not like you. I don’t _hurt_ people.”

 

Taemin moves one step forward in his circling of him, trying to screw with any kind of pattern Kai may be finding in his movements. Kai doesn't retreat from it, and Taemin loosens his stance, trying to lull him into a false sense of security.

 

“From where I’m standing, you’re not people.”

 

Kai snorts derisively, lifting his gaze skyward, “Because you know me so well.”

 

Taemin shifts his Sai blades into a throwing grip and he watches Kai's eyes glance back down to observe them, clearly reading Taemin just as much as Taemin is reading him. He's definitely a worthy opponent.

 

“I know you don’t belong here.”

 

“Something we can agree on,” Kai says, and something in his voice sounds deeply exhausted, “I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here. But me and mine aren’t hurting anyone.”

 

Taemin shrugs, and Kai sees him reverse his Sai handles into a _punching_ grip – a grip of which he has also taught himself to throw from, “Doesn’t matter.”

 

“It _should_.”

 

Without pause, Taemin sends both Sai blades hurtling at Kai with more speed than he has ever mustered before, and Kai disappears with the wind, just as he predicted. Taemin runs full tilt at the empty space he leaves behind, pulling his thigh dagger free, heart beating wildly and adrenaline coursing through his chest.

 

 _Come on_ , he thinks. _Now._

 

Kai reappears before his very eyes and Taemin drops his shoulder and _spear-tackles_ him, arm wrapped tight around Kai's ribs, dagger pointed at his left flank, ready to slide home as he knocks him off his feet.

 

Taemin feels a sudden searing pressure in his head, like it's being _squeezed_ into a space too small, and wind fills his ears so quick and sharp like a howling scream that his brain feels flayed like a raw nerve.

 

Then everything is a quiet, muted hum. The smell of afternoon sun on wood and clay fills his nostrils, and there's a pleasant tingling in his right ear; a lulling female voice that sounds like a smile and feels like a glow in his chest. He sees walls of wooden planks colored with drawings made of red dirt, and there are pages before him being turned over with great care by gentle, worn hands. Soft, warm arms frame him and he looks up, sees her – sees a woman with dark hair and slanted eyes and a smile as beautiful as a flower. She speaks a language he doesn't know, but he understands the adoration in her tone. He doesn't know this woman, has never seen anyone remotely like her, but he knows who she is and what she represents. Safety, comfort, home. _Mother_.

 

Then his eyes are burning with a sudden white light and he feels his body flying through the air. He hits a wall, _hard_ , and goes down like a sack of bricks. The pain is crippling, like a migraine striking his entire muscle system all at once and he staggers to his feet with a weak grunt, disoriented, noting with confusion the different, smaller room around him now. He sees Kai standing in front of a chained door, miraculously unharmed and glaring at him, just before his knees go out. Taemin crashes bodily to the ground, strength completely drained.

 

He's _panicking_ now. He's in an enclosed space with no windows and the only exit is guarded by the enemy. His dagger lies on the ground in front of him, and his Katana is on his back, but his lack of energy renders him unable to move. Kai is mere meters away, and Taemin is essentially paralyzed, his com nothing but static in his ear. He's unable to defend himself and has no way out, no way to call for back up. _This can't be it,_ he thinks. _This can't be how I die._

 

“I'm only going to say this once, so listen up,” Kai speaks darkly, “I'm no killer, but if you and yours choose to attack again, I will do whatever necessary to ensure me and mine get out alive. So don't test me. Do you understand me?”

 

Taemin stares up at him through the strands of his hair, unable to move, his left cheek heavy on the concrete floor. He can feel the saliva in his mouth slowly coming to trickle through the side of his slack lips and his eyes are watering from the dust his anxious breaths are lifting off the ground. The smell of sunshine and warm wood and dirt drawings remains in his nose like a vivid memory.

 

He squeezes his eyes closed and coughs involuntarily as Kai disappears in a violent thrash of dust and air, leaving him alone. He gasps, heart racing like a drum against the ground beneath him. The pain starts to subside as the minutes pass and it takes close to twenty minutes for his body to come back online, but eventually he recovers enough energy to draw himself up to his knees.

 

“ _Taemin!_ ” Onew's voice hollers somewhere far beyond the chained door moments later.

 

“I'm in here,” he shouts back, bearing his weight against the wall as he climbs unsteadily to his feet.

 

He yells a few more times as Onew tracks his whereabouts in the building, and he doesn't think he's ever been more relieved than he is when he sees Onew's broadsword slice through the gap in the door, cutting away the chains locking him inside with little effort.

 

Onew bursts through the door long enough for Minho to follow him in, and then he's racing back out of the room to find the others. The palpable anxiety in his eyes tells Taemin he hasn't found Key yet.

 

Minho pats his hands over him, checking for blood and mortal wounds, “Are you hurt?”

 

His back is going to cause a major problem for him in a couple of days, Taemin can feel it now, but he's relatively unharmed now that his body is working as it should. He hasn't been beaten in a fight since he was a kid against an army of insecure brats, so he sees why Minho seems a little spooked at the current state he's in.

 

Taemin bats his hands away and rolls his eyes at his concern, assuring his senior that he's fine as he follows him out to help find the rest of the team. But he can't hide from himself how rattled to the core he is. How, despite a lifetime of preparation, he was so completely unprepared for Kai, for his brute force and power, his determination. His dangerous intellect and it's ability to predict him.

 

 _He could have killed me_ , he thinks, over and over, a haunting mantra in the back of his head that unearths long forgotten feelings of inadequacy.

 

_He could have killed me. He could have killed me. He could have killed me. He could have killed me. But he let me live._

 

 _He let me live_ , he realizes now, confused and utterly shaken. _He could have killed me, but he let me live._

 

Taemin catches the phantom whiff of afternoon sunlight on wood and clay as he follows Minho numbly down the twisting corridor, and he thinks of the curl of the ocean and a landscape of flowers in bloom, painted on a wall by careful fingertips in red dirt. He has no reason to think these things, knows these things are not his to remember, but he thinks of her, the woman with the smile and the warm pleasant voice and his hand rubs at his heart with a frown, something untwisting there.

 

He thinks of Siwon's warnings, that there may be a possibility his memories could be tampered with one day, and he plucks today's trigger word from the depths of his brain, the one he'd picked this morning upon waking: _Beset_ , a Silat technique used for tripping an opponent.

 

It should bring him relief, knowing his trigger word is still there, but it only raises more terrifying questions instead.

 

He thinks of Kai.

 

_What the hell have you done to me?_

 

 


	7. Crux

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been over a _year._ I’m so sorry for the wait.

 

“Don’t,” Taemin pushes his way past Minho’s outstretched hands when his comrade, seeing how shaken he is, makes a move to follow, “ _Don’t_.”

 

Taemin goes to the back of the SUV, sagging against the metal of the vehicle when it remains locked, unable to distract himself with the unloading of his weaponry. The inside of his right cheek throbs where he’d hit the wall so hard that he’d bitten down on the flesh, and he can taste the blood that coats his teeth. He attempts to smother the erratic pulse he can still feel hammering away in his neck by pulling deep, smooth breaths into his lungs, and he tugs on his own hair punishingly when he combs his fingers through, willing himself to snap out of it. The pronounced tremble of his hand mocks him before he works it into a fist.

 

Further off, Minho checks his weapons for something to do, while Jonghyun rests against the trunk of a tree. He’s a standing silhouette in the shade, probably preparing himself to fight their leader on their next orders. If Taemin didn’t know any better, he’d say he was talking on a cellphone, but there’s no way he would have been issued one. Onew is the only one of the group permitted Class A equipment.

 

In the distance, Onew walks Key across the field toward them, hand guiding him by the waist. Taemin wants to believe Key is traumatised if only for his own pride, but he’s pretty sure the unabashed way Key is leaning into their leader is a sign that he’s playing up how battered and bruised he is simply to take advantage of Onew’s concerns.

 

Jonghyun rejoins the group when they arrive and tosses a narrow look at their leader, almost daring him to send them back home, “Gonna call it in?”

 

Onew releases Key – who is unapologetic in the amount of time he takes to remove himself from their leader’s side – and unlocks the SUV. Taemin immediately unloads his weapons like it’ll help him live, “I think that if everyone is up to it physically, then we should go after them.”

 

Taemin freezes at that, the hilt of his katana locked tight against his palm while Key asks, amazed, “ _You_ wanna go against orders?”

 

“Our orders are to go after them and take them out,” Onew reaffirms, “They only change if I call it in. So if everyone agrees, I think base can wait a little longer for a mission report. Better to keep them on their toes. I want the teleporter dead before he gets the chance to ready his troops.”

 

The fire in Jonghyun’s eyes is suddenly frightening, as is the smirk that slides onto his face, “Hell, you know _I’m_ game.”

 

“All in?” Onew looks to everyone as they agree, though he clocks Taemin’s wariness, “Alright then. Grab a heat pack if you need it, and use your Qi. We need to recover as much as we can before round two.”

 

Key circles his right arm, stretching the muscle of his rotator cuff and muttering, “Let’s find these assholes.”

 

As the others move to stash their weapons in the back of the SUV, Taemin shifts away to close his eyes and empty his mind, forcibly letting go of the panic hanging in his chest and feeling a little more at home as the anger at being beaten soon replaces it. He takes it apart, his face off with Kai, searching for advantage, weakness. Kai had beaten him purely by being where Taemin had not expected. He hadn’t raised a hand to him, hadn’t brutalised him in any way. He’d simply used his speed and power to let Taemin unravel himself. It’s an embarrassing ploy that had gotten the better of him.

 

Kai’s personal code of honor and his unwillingness to truly engage in a violent fight, however, is an exploit there for the taking. _I don’t hurt people_ , he had admitted. _I’m not like you. I’m no killer_ . If Taemin hadn’t seen the way Kai looked to his people, he’d assume it was simply a tactic to throw him off. But Taemin _had_ seen the way Kai looked to his people and it looked a lot like Onew’s kindness. Kai cared, and Taemin knew all too well that caring made you weak.

 

The realisation is a double-edged blade. Taemin can almost taste the victory like he currently tastes his own blood sitting inside his cheek, but it returns the same niggling uncertainty in the pit of his belly. Where is the vicious, mass-murdering, mindless beast he’d been promised his entire life? Kai’s human-like frailty, his conscience, his honor – even the fact that he has the brainpower to string together a sentence – are things Artifacts were not supposed to have. Kai’s very existence goes against every killer instinct Taemin possesses. He finds he’s trying, and failing, not to feel like he’s been lied to in some way.

 

“You alright?” Onew murmurs on his way past, pausing before him.

 

Taemin squares his shoulders, ignoring the twinge in his back – a sore reminder that he’d come off second best, “I’m ready, if that’s what you’re asking.”

 

Onew looks him directly in the eye, searching for the unknown, and Taemin wants to hit Minho for making the state in which he found him into something his commanding officer can pull him up about. Taemin curses himself as his thoughts once again drift to Kai’s confusing choice to let him live, and the panic of not being able to move his body, and the smell of red dirt on bare wood, and the terrifying, alien feeling of being warm in the arms of a woman he has never known.

 

Onew doesn’t appear to sense the struggle beneath the mask he has spent a lifetime perfecting, but his concern comes through as Taemin grabs him by the arm when he moves to leave. He wants to hide and brush it off, save face, but he has Onew’s ear now and he knows that if anyone in his faction were to keep things quiet, his leader would be it.

 

“Did you see anything when K—,” Taemin lowers his voice, withholds Kai’s name even now, “—when the Artifact took you.”

 

Onew looks puzzled, and Taemin’s heart makes an unpleasant detour through his stomach at the realisation that he didn’t. _Just me then._ The thought makes him uneasy.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Did you _see_ anything.”

 

“Like what… _stars?_ ‘Cause I’m pretty sure I saw stars. That thing hits like a sledgehammer,” Onew replies, and Taemin notices now as he shifts his weight that his leader is favouring his right leg, “Why? Did you see something else?”

 

Taemin thinks maybe his answer takes too long to come out, but Onew doesn’t pick up on it.

 

“A weakness,” he replies, forcing himself back into the mission with a nod. He doesn’t have the time to ponder his lack of answers here, “I may have an idea on how to beat him.”

 

Onew clasps Taemin’s shoulder and gives him a brief, genial shake, then yanks his hand back when Taemin seizes up beneath him. Touch is simply too much for him right now with how tender he’s feeling, and with the plaguing thoughts of the gentle woman Kai put in his head, “…Good. ‘Cause I know we’ve waited our whole lives for this, but I’m seriously ready for it to be over.”

 

“You’re telling _me_ ,” Minho sighs as he breezes by, climbing into the front passenger seat. He’s soon whining, then outright cursing in unbridled frustration when Key drags him back out by the scruff of the neck and directs him to the backseat, taking the seat beside Onew for himself.

 

Taemin shrugs, heavy with put-upon indifference, “Then let’s do this.”

 

“ _Finally_ ,” Jonghyun grins, knocking him with his shoulder on his way past hard enough to make him stifle a wince, but it’s not as hostile as usual. Taemin would even argue that it’s the closest thing to a good mood Jonghyun has had in a long time, “Something we agree on.”

 

Onew’s gaze lingers a moment longer on Taemin before he’s nodding, and he steps closer, looking off into the distance and lowering his tone like he’s not about to get serious on him, “I know you like to look after yourself, but I have a team to think of. _If_ something is wrong, I need you to tell me. For the sake of the mission.”

 

Taemin’s usual instinct is to recoil whenever someone lends him some semblance of support, but the way in which Onew has taken extra care to word his concern in a way that isn’t going to make him run a mile, is not lost on him. The throbbing temptation is there, to allow himself to not be okay just once, but he can’t afford it right now – not when they’re about to track the enemy for a rematch.

 

Instead, he pushes the panic away and resolves to do his best, silently grateful Onew is the man he is, “I’m good, Sunbaenim.”

 

Onew clearly hears it beneath the respect in Taemin’s voice and seems both touched and further shaken as a result, but he gruffly, affectionately tugs him around toward the SUV. Taemin notes the slight burning sensation along his back as he climbs in and grimaces as his tender skin rubs the inside of his jacket against the seat. Everybody situates themselves once the doors are shut and Key gives a satisfied grunt once Kai’s power signature lights up their scanner.

 

“Would you look at that. The gods are on our side,” he laughs.

 

Taemin looks up at the dash to see that he didn’t go far at all. It’s sheer luck that Kai has situated himself near a beacon, which allows them to pinpoint where he is among the _six_ beacons his incredible power has triggered. It’ll be a forty five minute drive at most; the SUV will probably make it in thirty, and with a more accurate area to search, they could have Kai and his people dead in under an hour.

 

Taemin breathes through the pain as he flattens his chest to his knees and begins to concentrate his Qi, his very life-force, through his traumatised spine. And as the SUV takes off with enthusiasm, he does all he can to concentrate on how he’s going to divide and conquer Kai and his group - the vision of the unknown woman sitting fuzzy in the background.

When Kai materialises in the atrium of the abandoned apartment complex they’d chosen as their next battlefield, the force of his power shatters what’s left of the windows along the ground floor. Baekhyun and Chanyeol poke their heads over a balcony wall on an upper level.

 

“Dramatic much?” Chanyeol calls down, and Baekhyun snickers beside him.

 

Kai responds by popping the collar of his coat and jutting his chin out, entering the building with a pronounced swagger that makes his brothers laugh exuberantly above him. He feels _good_. It feels like a win, no matter how small.

 

Earlier, Kai had found their temporary home in his search for new ground and had run it past Xiumin’s approval as a possible confrontation point. The vast number of rooms, corridors and levels made it an ideal place for his numerous brothers to disappear into, and being able to split Taemin and his group up would put them at an advantage, two to one. Three against Taemin himself, the most lethal threat to their survival.

 

The group had first settled at the open space of the paper chemical plant, ready to move out once they’d been found, and it was merely luck that afforded them a full night to regroup, recharge and train their powers as much as they could. Being the most proficient in their abilities, Kai had left Xiumin and Luhan in charge of training the others. They wouldn’t get stronger overnight, but they could work with strategy, taking advantage and using their powers in unconventional ways to neutralise their enemy. At the very least, it meant they would come out of their next battle alive.

 

Kai had spent five hours sitting under an overcast sky with Baekhyun and Lay, working with them while they waited for any sign of Taemin’s group in the distance. Together, Lay and Kai had helped Baekhyun tap into the intricacies of his power and taught him to focus where it could cause the most damage – on the eyes. Using himself as a test subject like he once had with D.O., Kai proceeded to push past Baekhyun’s reluctance, drilling into him that there was no room for hesitation when it meant he could save the lives of his brothers. He’d pushed and _pushed_ until Baekhyun had dropped him screaming to his knees. After Lay had healed his seared retinas, Kai had laughed for the first time in a long time while Baekhyun called him every name under the sun, swearing that if he ever made him do it again, they would be done as brothers. Kai thinks Jin would have been proud.

 

Eventually though, Kai had spotted the ominous, glinting, dark vehicle on the horizon and teleported his brothers out of the compound before returning to confront them on his own, as agreed upon. One disadvantage Taemin’s little army had was being human. Being human, they had to travel like humans. Kai felt safe in the knowledge that he would always be one step ahead in that department.

 

Xiumin falls in beside him when they meet in the corridor, “Everything go to plan?”

 

“Exactly how we planned it,” Kai answers, and Xiumin claps him on the back, “How are things going here?”

 

Xiumin updates him on the progress his brothers have made in his absence. As an elemental, Xiumin had taken to working with the other elementals in the group – Chanyeol, Sehun, Chen, D.O. and Suho – opening their eyes to new ways of using their power. The elements themselves didn’t have to be wielded in their rawest form. Chanyeol, for instance, didn’t need to conjure fire to beat an opponent; not when he could train himself to tap into the heat of their bodies and boil them from the inside out. They were a ways off from being new killing machines ready for battle, but they were inspired to act and respond to a situation in ways that hadn’t previously occurred to them. It was a vast improvement.

 

Meanwhile, Luhan had worked with the remainder of the group, but preaching new strategy to Lay and Tao had proven futile. Lay had very little fight training and no offensive power, and as one of their biggest lifelines, putting him in harm’s way was a risk they couldn’t afford. Frightening was the fact that Tao’s power had shut down altogether.

 

Kai’s first _petty_ instinct is to ask if the issue lies with Luhan himself, who had pulled a poorly-timed fit before Kai had left over his choice to face their enemies alone. But he realises with a sinking feeling that it’s simply not the case.

 

“He’s blocked,” Kai surmises, a well of pain in his chest for Tao’s suffering.

 

Xiumin nods, “Had another full-fledged panic attack. He’s not dealing well. Lay’s been trying to desensitize him to his trauma but it’s too fresh. I doubt his ability to go hand-to-hand. He’s dead weight in a confrontation.”

 

Kai stops him before they reach the rest of the group, lowering his voice, “Is he capable of not falling apart when we meet them again?”

 

Xiumin’s silence tells him everything he needs to know.

 

He sighs softly, “What do you suggest we do?”

 

“Move him offsite,“ Xiumin answers gently, “Put him somewhere safe. Meet him again when it’s done. It’s not going to do us any favours if he loses it while we’re trying to keep ourselves alive.”

 

Kai starts turning his mind over for a safe place. The cellphone in his coat pocket suddenly feels heavy against his ribs, “What do you think about me leaving him with Ms Jang?”

 

“It’s only been a few days. I’d advise against it,” Xiumin replies, “We can’t risk putting her in danger, and someone could be watching her. Better strategy is the paper plant. Last point of conflict; they’re unlikely to return to the same place immediately. And you’ll have access to lockable rooms.”

 

“I don’t think leaving Tao in a locked room is going to help the state he’s in.”

 

“Then he doesn’t have to know about it,” Xiumin answers with a pointed look.

 

This is what Kai wanted, someone near him to make the tough calls. He trusts Xiumin’s wisdom, military experience and logic explicitly, almost as much as he trusts the man himself, which makes the wariness of the situation tough to swallow. Ensuring Tao’s safety is priority, but the idea of leaving him locked up and alone niggles away at his conscience.

 

“I hear you,” Kai sighs again, turning his eyes away.

 

“And I hear _you_ ,” Xiumin rests a hand on his arm and gives it a squeeze, and Kai finds himself relieved as always at the unspoken understanding between them. Xiumin is not unfeeling, but he knows what Kai needs to hear and knows he’s the one to present it. Kai appreciates that beyond words.

 

“I’m glad you’re back safe,” Xiumin offers a faint but caring smile, and accepts Kai’s answering embrace warmly.

 

“Thank you for all you do,” Kai whispers in his ear, and Xiumin pounds him on the back, replying with a quiet _you’re welcome, brother._

 

Kai feels a silent, collective sigh of relief from his brothers when he finally joins them. With no information on how his solo mission went, they remain tense. But he’s returned with no visible signs of injury and it seems to be enough to put them at ease for now.

 

Lay rises from where he sits against the wall between Sehun and Chen, letting his fingers slide from Sehun’s as he steps forward, “Did you get them?”

 

“Gave it my best shot,” Kai shrugs, welcoming the calming sensation of Lay’s warm, searching hands suddenly on his body, “I did what you asked. I’m hoping it was enough.”

 

Luhan, who clearly appears to be waiting for information, approaches Kai with folded arms. Being strongly against his solo mission meant that they hadn’t parted on the best of terms, and Xiumin’s siding with Kai had also muddied the waters of their friendship. The hour between then and now doesn’t appear to have lessened Luhan’s anger any, and he finds himself bracing for another fight he’d rather not have. He can’t afford to indulge Luhan’s regular, irrational need for discourse, and he doesn’t wish to waste time removing the seeds of doubt Luhan’s voice-raising will inevitably plant in the minds of his brothers. He needs them ready.

 

Luhan, unfortunately, doesn’t agree, “Do I dare ask?”

 

Kai lowers his voice, trying to leash him with his words, “Not now.”

 

“I warned you against poking the beast,” he all but growls, the bolt of his jaw tight, which naturally draws everyone’s attention. Luhan swiftly ignores Xiumin’s tired murmur of his name as he presses on, and Kai’s anger begins to simmer when he sees Tao, pale and jumpy, shift nervously in the corner of his vision, “Both of you can roll your eyes at me all you want, but there are serious repercussions to every move we make. We deserve answers.”

 

Kai repeats himself, “I am calmly asking you to stop---”

 

“ _You_ put us in this position,” Luhan continues, “They were already trying to kill us. I think we deserve to know what kind of retaliation we’re facing.”

 

“ _Same as always_ ,” Kai meets the ferocity of his tone with scathing resentment, even as he attempts to keep his voice down, “ _Death._ Trust me, if I had the option of convincing them to leave us alone, I would. What would you suggest we do? Stand by and be the same upstanding citizens we were before? Because newsflash, Luhan, _that’s_ what got us here in the first place.”

 

From where they sit in what’s left of the afternoon sun, Suho tugs Tao’s head against his chest and covers his ears, choosing to provide his brother what peace he can. He throws Kai a pleading look.

 

Luhan reacts like he’s been slapped in the face, _“Don’t you dare.”_

 

“Don’t _I_ dare?” Kai laughs humorlessly, and Lay’s hand on his forearm squeezes hard enough to remind him where he is and who is watching. Kai has nearly always taken the hits without complaint, and in any other situation he’d let Luhan say and think whatever the hell pleases him. But he can’t have his brothers walking on eggshells when he needs them to fight for their survival.

 

“You stand there and you do nothing. You point at me and tell me to do better and it does _nothing_. You barely lifted a damn finger when we were preparing to save the world, and you have the stomach to stand there and tell me _don’t you dare?_ ”

 

Luhan is visibly shaking now, white-faced like he’s seen a ghost. Xiumin’s gaze hardens fractionally, shifting his weight until his shoulder shields Luhan subconsciously, “I think that’s enough.”

 

“ _No_ ,” Kai says lowly. He feels desperate now, panicked, his heart beating away like it’s falling down a dark, endless pit. Irrationally, he wants to scream and cry, wishing for it to be over, and somewhere inside there’s a voice telling him _This is not you. Calm down. Listen_.

 

“I don’t know why you insist on fighting me at every turn but I am _done_ with this. All you do is put everyone on edge. You _scare_ everyone, needlessly, and I need us to fight because if we don’t, _we will not live through this_ . So no more,” He says, prodding a finger hard into Luhan’s chest, “You take whatever hero complex you have and you bury it, _now_ , before I teleport you somewhere and _leave_ you there.”

 

“ _Kai_ ,” Lay whispers, hand squeezing him again, and he feels like someone has closed their hands around his insides because he’s suddenly suffocating.

 

He gasps for breath, knowing somewhere in the back of his head that he’s only angry, and tired, but his body is running on a different wavelength and its guiding him into a false sense of defeat. The confidence he had not five minutes ago is draining out of his limbs with a new level of dread he hasn’t reached before, and it’s not only confusing and unusual, but terrifying.

 

He glances down at Lay’s hand on his arm, his knuckles white with effort, and he sees Lay’s other hand is doing the same around Luhan’s wrist. He detaches himself from what he’s feeling the way Pei used to instruct him to when his emotions clouded his power, and they begin to feel foreign to him. It’s not until he looks up to Luhan’s wide, wet gaze that he realises the horrific hopelessness he feels isn’t his own. It’s Luhan’s.

 

He thinks of all the time he’s spent trying to keep his brothers afloat, guarding them against Luhan’s unfailing pessimism. He had no clue Luhan’s incessant barbs at his leadership were the biggest cry for reassurance.

 

“Do you understand him now?” Lay asks quietly.

 

Kai looks into Luhan’s eyes and swallows the tears that threaten to crawl up the back of his throat. He can feel the deep-seated fear in his brother’s heart like a shadow fallen across on his own, the grief for all they’ve been through still pulsing away fresh and new.

 

He does understand, and he sympathises. Fear has threatened to break him more times throughout his life than he can keep track of. But rolling over and letting it best him has never been something he could live comfortably with. Now is not the time for crippling panic, not when Luhan is one of his strongest warriors. He needs him now more than ever.

 

So with a great deal of effort, Kai nudges Luhan’s emotions aside until the black fog of despair begins to fade, and he lets what little confidence and certainty he possesses shine as bright as he possibly can, trying to be strong enough for everyone in the room. He offers it forward through the strange psychic bond Lay has forged between them and sees the moment Luhan absorbs it, because he appears to visibly relax, stepping away from whatever mental precipice he’s been unknowingly standing on all this time.

 

“You’re allowed to be scared,” Kai tells him, and Luhan breathes like it’s his first breath ever, “But don’t let it paralyse you. ”

 

Kai remembers the boy he met all those years ago, the one who quietly kept an eye on him to ensure he wasn’t struggling alone. The one with the invisible metal armour who refused to be wielded like a weapon by the man they called a king. _That_ boy would have fearlessly leapt from a cliff and taken the enemy with him. Kai isn’t looking for a sacrifice, only the fire that used to live in his brother’s veins. He’s ashamed as both a leader and a brother to admit he never noticed it had disappeared in the first place.

 

“Maybe we’ll die. Maybe we won’t. But don’t let that decide how you live,” he urges, offering a hand out to him. Luhan quickly takes it and Kai squeezes tight, “Your fate has always been your decision. Don’t let your fear change that.”

 

“You’re not scared at all,” Luhan replies with a helpless laugh, a hint of awe colouring his words. Kai thinks he must have made a passable job of compartmentalising his emotions because Luhan appears inspired instead of lost, as if the path ahead has suddenly grown a little clearer, “How are you not scared?”

 

“I _am_ scared,” Kai confesses, pressing their joined hands to his heart, “I’m scared of losing you. _Any_ of you. But if I let that take hold, we don’t stand a chance. You all look to me to show you the way, so I have no choice but to be strong enough for all of us. That’s the burden I carry.”

 

He looks to the remainder of his brothers, now riveted witnesses. The concentration on Lay’s face tells him everyone is feeling the effects of the strength Kai is offering to Luhan, as if the bond Lay has created between them is being broadcast around the room. It heartens Kai to see the glimpses of optimism on their faces once again, the emboldened trust in him. Even Tao sits calmly with his hand in Suho’s, listening to his every word with an awareness they haven’t seen in him since the attack that almost claimed his life.

 

“We were _made_ to face the impossible. That has always been our purpose, to do what must be done at the end of all things,” Kai takes Luhan by the arms and gives him a gentle but firm shake, “I’m not sure of much, but I know this: You are more capable than you think. And there has never been a more crucial moment to be all you can be, than now.” He clasps the nape of Luhan’s neck, “I _need_ you, Luhan. I need you to step up. I can’t do this without you.”

 

He absorbs the renewed trust in Luhan’s eyes, the small but hopeful resurgence of confidence in his kin, and Lay’s smile - proud, reverent, all-knowing and just for him - as he understands the true gravity of his words. His people look to him to pave the way forward, but he looks to them for the strength to build it. Their faith in him, both earned and blindly entrusted, always gives him the willpower he needs to overcome the obstacles in front of him. They lead him more than they’ll ever know.

 

He turns to his brothers, “Anybody else need a pep talk?”

 

Chanyeol grins, and Baekhyun holds his thumbs up, “ _Yaaaa_. Our seonjang is _so cool._ ”

 

Kai jerks his chin at D.O., who immediately scoots across the floor, stone faced, and thumps Baekhyun lightly on the arm. Baekhyun collapses onto his side, yelling like his arm has been ripped clean from the socket, and the ensuing whinging and rolling around loosens what’s left of the tension in the room until everyone is either smiling or laughing at his expense.

 

With Luhan’s meltdown behind them, Lay uses the group’s distraction to move into Kai’s space again, a fact he can see is registering in Sehun’s watchful gaze. Lay’s energy encircles him until he feels like he’s in his own pocket of calm; the air around him still, certain, protective. He relaxes into it, mind emptying pleasantly. He peers down at his brother standing just a breath away, taking in the new facets of Kai’s aura.

 

“Anything?” Kai murmurs quietly.

 

“Definitely,” Lay replies, a prominent frown line between his brows, “Though they’re a bit too muddled. Try to think of them one at a time.”

 

Kai does as he’s told, closing his eyes and envisioning Taemin and his people. He replays in his head each point of contact – the way he grabbed them, struck them, threw them down. Each hint of satisfaction he felt as he left them locked up one by one, vulnerable and afraid. Then it’s just Taemin.

 

Kai remembers the calculation in his eyes, the challenge there that he wanted to meet. The deadly mix of warning and promise in the certainty of his voice. Taemin’s arm tight around his flank, the force and strength of his shoulder as it caught him in the solar plexus. The unexpected soft wisp of Taemin’s hair like black ink across the back of his hand before the momentum of his power tore them apart.

 

The calmness surrounding him is now something white hot. Deep aches and burning slashes flourish under his skin, making him feel as if he’s being flayed alive. He can hear his own pulse suddenly in his ears like the beating of bird’s wings, or maybe it’s Lay’s, but before he can start screaming at him to stop, Lay wrenches himself back, breath harsh and ragged as he scrambles to put space between them. The sight of oncoming tears in the corners of Lay’s eyes is alarming, and Kai reaches for him worriedly – freezes when he yanks himself further away.

 

Kai doesn’t know what to think, but the smiles drop from the faces of his brothers instantaneously, “Hyung?”

 

“ _Hey_ ,” Sehun stumbles up from his seat on the floor and moves to touch Lay’s face, “What is it?”

 

Lay visibly shakes himself, avoiding both Kai’s and Sehun’s outstretched hands. He chooses to pace away and get a hold of himself, which has Sehun fixing Kai with a glare.

 

“What the _hell_ was that?”

 

“I don’t know,” he replies, phantom tremors of pain in his finger tips. He’s never known that level of agony before and for the second time today, he’s left shaken. He looks again to Lay, “Do you have what you need?”

 

Lay doesn’t answer and Sehun, pissed, shifts to stop him when he makes moves to ask again. Kai shrugs him off heatedly and the two stare each other down with matching annoyance. He’s rattled, doesn’t know how much time they have to be safe, and Sehun’s sensitivities are holding up the exchange of what is crucial information.

 

“ _Lay_. Do you have what you need.”

 

“Yes,” He breathes from across the room. Sehun is mad at Kai for pushing, but doing so is snapping Lay out of whatever horror is currently clouding his thoughts, “It’s not much, but it’s enough. I’ll be able to sense them if they’re near.”

 

“ _Good_ ,” Kai responds, letting his relief finally surface. He thinks of Lay’s perseverance in the face of the many difficult tasks he’s suffered through and loves him for it, praises him, “Good job, hyung.”

 

“Is anyone going to tell me what the hell just happened,” Sehun blurts, now annoyed at both of them.

 

Kai explains quickly that prior to his mission, Lay had instructed him to do his best in absorbing what he could of their enemy’s individual auras. The intended result was for Lay to acquaint himself with them, to be so familiar with their essence that it wouldn’t matter how terrifying and adept Taemin’s people were in tracking them. Lay would be able to sense them whenever they were near and afford them the time to plan their next move.

 

Kai’s solo mission hadn’t been about provoking their enemy, but to enable them an advantage, a way to better trap them. One glance confirms the new understanding on Luhan’s face, and his brother lowers his eyes apologetically once again, ashamed for assuming the worst in him.

 

“The last one,” Lay murmurs, “Who…”

 

Taemin’s name is on the tip of his tongue but Lay ultimately shakes his own question off, not wanting to dwell on the answer. It doesn’t stop Kai from catching the haunted glaze to his eyes. If he wasn’t familiar with the soulless killing machine Taemin is, he’d mistake Lay’s horror for sympathy. Lay wraps his arms around himself, his mind a million miles away. And just like that, the mood Kai had worked to salvage is somber once again.

 

With a sigh, he checks the waning afternoon sun through the paneless window and pulls the cellphone from his coat pocket, leaving everybody else to the silence with a half-hearted, “I’ll be back.”

 

He puts the length of the corridor between himself and his kin while the phone powers on, and then he waits for any sign of Ms Jang. He doesn’t know whether to be relieved or worried when there’s no missed calls or messages five minutes later, and his thumb hovers for another several minutes over her number in the contacts list. It’s the only contact he has, and he swallows painfully as his eyes focus on the entry name: _Home._

 

With nothing to report on, he checks the battery icon - just over halfway full - and powers the phone back down. The photo of Ms Jang’s unamused grouchiness framed by Baekhyun’s and Tao’s grinning, mischievous faces on the screen fades to black.

 

He sits down and gathers his knees to his chest, his weight crunching down on the dead leaves lining the floor, and he closes his eyes to the outside breeze finding its way through the gaping hole in the wall beside him. He imagines himself somewhere warm, happy and unburdened, where the next meal is guaranteed and the only thing that keeps him up at night is the horrific sound of Chanyeol’s snoring and the excitement of a tomorrow that doesn’t promise the dreadful.

 

 _One day,_ he thinks, _this will all be over._

 

He just hopes that when it is, regardless of how it ends up, he and his brothers will finally be at peace.

  
  


 

When Kai peels his eyes open, the sun is only a faint glow in the encroaching night sky, and D.O.’s head is heavy on his shoulder, fast asleep.

 

The eerie quiet of the building around him and the atrium on the ground floor outside is almost peaceful enough to lull him back under, but then he realises where he is and what he should be doing, and his pulse kicks up as the dark corridor stares back at him, desolate.

 

He’d only intended to rest his tired eyes for a few minutes, to find some peace within himself to continue the way forward, but the colour of the sky tells him he’s lost at least an hour. A crucial hour, one he should have spent outlining their next move.

 

The silence around him feels wrong, dangerous, and he roughly shoulders D.O. awake, clasping a hand over his mouth to silence the growl of protest that follows. Kai pulls him to his feet and takes stock of their surroundings, and his hand tightens on D.O.’s arm fiercely when his eyes land on the familiar vehicle outside. He doesn’t know how they were found so fast, but it’s there - a black shining thing sitting in the overgrown grass. A beast lying in wait.

 

 _Taemin_.

 

He hears a loud, booming crack at the end of the hall, and he whips his head around just in time to see the flash of lightning and a dark figure thrown through one doorway and into another.

 

“ _Chen_ ,” he mumbles, and before he can blink, he teleports to the other end of the hall.

 

From what he can glimpse, the dark figure lying dazed on the floor is indeed one of Taemin’s men, the shield bearer. He looks up just as something sings through the air towards him, and he winks in and out of existence as the arrow lands with a sharp thunk in the wall behind him. The man he remembers from the marketplace - the archer - suddenly sprints out of the shadows of the perpendicular corridor, pulling a gun from his hip and firing at him, but D.O. tackles Kai to the wall and blocks the bullets. Kai catches his eyes, glinting chrome in the dark, as he pulls back with a grunt and charges directly at the enemy.

 

Kai watches, unable to breathe as D.O. is pelted with bullets, his metal chest a sparking blockade as he barrels toward their attacker. The archer’s mag is empty and holsters his weapon, choosing to leap at D.O. before their bodies collide. The maneuver is quick and expert, a swing and a twist of knees around the neck, and then D.O. is somersaulting head first to the ground. His metal body rattles the hallway as he lands in a heap, and the archer, who lands on his feet with scary precision, reloads his gun and starts shooting a circle around D.O.’s body. Kai doesn’t understand what he’s doing until he jumps onto D.O’s torso and sends them both breaking through the floor.

 

The impact of D.O. hitting the lower level makes the entire building tremble.

 

When the archer hoists himself back up and fixes his menacing glare on Kai, he decides to run.

 

“Grab on!” he yells as he bursts into the room, sliding to his knees and offering a hand to Baekhyun, who is trying and failing to keep Tao calm. Baekhyun tugs Tao into his arms and latches both of their hands around Kai’s wrist, while Suho, Chen and Chanyeol form a barricade to protect them.

 

Kai can hear the archer hollering _“Minho,_ goddammit! _Get up!”_ out of view, and when he inches his head around the corner to see them, Chen moves to strike again. Minho, the man previously dazed on the floor, rolls up with all the energy of a second life, pulls his shield from his back and blocks Chen’s power. His element of surprise over, Chen steps back, and as Minho rises to his feet and starts forward, Suho, Chanyeol and Chen reach back for Kai’s offered arm.

 

Kai sees Minho tug his comrade behind him and his shield as they cross the threshold of the room, and deciding that’s far enough, Kai teleports them out of there.

 

He dumps them in the west wing common area on the ground level, a place Xiumin had suggested they use as a meet point should anything happen. Three of the four entrances to the area are blocked - Xiumin’s diligent prep work - but the windows to the right are all void of glass and open to the outside, which worries him. No one else is around either, and that worries him, too.

 

“Where are the others?”

 

“Xiumin and Luhan were on watch,” Chen immediately stammers, shaking now from the adrenaline, “Sehun and Lay disappeared a half hour ago.”

 

Kai’s entire body freezes, “ _Disappeared?_ ”

 

“To be alone,” Chen answers. Kai would be fuming if he wasn’t petrified.

 

Kai sees how Baekhyun is struggling with Tao and leans over, “Did they give any hint as to where they were going?”

 

“They were hanging out earlier in the north side, by the atrium,” Suho clarifies, “Sehun was cold. The sunniest rooms were that way.”

 

“ _Shit!_ ” Kai exclaims angrily, reaching a hand out to Tao’s neck. He presses his thumb and forefinger against the main artery there and pinches, “Hey, look at me.”

 

Tao does as he’s told, though he’s wide-eyed and afraid, and his panic increases tenfold when it becomes clear that he understands what Kai is doing. Baekhyun looks to Kai with great uncertainty, but locks his arms tighter as Tao starts to thrash in his grip.

 

“Just rest, brother,” Kai tells him not unkindly. Tao pleas breathlessly for him to stop and he grits his teeth, forcing it despite his want for another way. Tao’s eyes eventually droop, and then he sags heavily, finally unconscious in Baekhyun’s arms.

 

He looks up at the others, “Stay on guard. Any hostiles come through, take them down.” He pauses, feeling the full gravity of his next words. “Kill them if you have to.”

 

With that, Kai follows the plan he’d made with Xiumin and teleports Tao to the paper chemical factory, laying him down gently on the ground of the laboratory he’d locked Taemin’s leader in earlier that day. With a quick stroke through Tao’s hair that does little to comfort his conscience, he closes the door behind himself and returns to the apartment complex.

 

He teleports into every floor, every corridor he can find as fast as he can, scanning the building for the rest of his kin. Xiumin and Luhan have more of a chance in fighting off an attacker, so he looks for Lay and Sehun first. Their enemy knows they’re here, so he doesn’t care for stealth. Wasting time trying to be subtle could be all the difference in whether he finds the others alive or not.

 

Lay and Sehun are nowhere to be seen.

 

Forcing his panic down, he makes a sweep of the outside perimeter for the other two and finds Xiumin facing off against Taemin and his leader. He’s sweating, clearly having exerted himself prior to Kai’s arrival, but he’s the strongest they’ve got. Xiumin growls long and loud as he forms a club of ice over his own hand and moves to clobber Taemin over the head with it, but instead ends up showered in icy debris when Taemin slashes back with his Katana. The next swipe of his blade lands in Xiumin’s fist, and Xiumin freezes the blade all the way up to the hilt. Taemin forfeits his weapon and pulls his Sai blades free, twisting through a crouch and kicking Xiumin’s legs out from beneath him with far too much speed.

 

Xiumin goes down, throwing a thick shield of ice in front of himself with his left hand to block Taemin’s next blow, and with Taemin’s leader looming over him, broadsword raised for it’s deadly downward stroke, he shoots an icicle through the man’s flank with his right. Taemin’s leader doubles over like he’s been punched in the gut, and Kai charges at Taemin himself, the immediate threat.

 

He shouts for Taemin’s attention, _“HEY!”_

 

Taemin’s stance shifts as soon as he locks eyes on him, and he welcomes the impact of Kai’s body with Sai blades at the ready. Kai instead disappears into the ether, teleporting behind Taemin’s back with a force that violently whips at the nearby trees. He catches Taemin’s leader behind the knee so hard that the man is airborne before he lands with a garbled grunt. He teleports again, narrowly missing a blade to the face when Taemin swings at him, wild and instinctual, and Kai emerges behind him, sending Taemin careening into the dirt and gravel with an unforgiving kick to the back.

 

Taemin tucks and rolls into a crouch, ready to attack once again, though his efforts look a little slower and he starts to bleed where he’s been nicked by the rocky ground. He throws Kai a frustrated glare, but the bad shape of his leader, who is winded and stabbed and doing his best to pick himself back up, catches his attention.

 

It’s all the distraction Kai needs.

 

He reaches for Xiumin, “Where’s Luhan?”

 

“Went to warn the others,” Xiumin clasps his hand and Kai gets them out of there.

 

When they teleport back to the common room, half of it is on fire. The archer and the shield, Minho, are fighting hard against Chanyeol and Chen, blocking and dodging their attacks as best they can. Their speed and trained combat reflexes are easily superior against the likes of Kai’s peaceful brothers, who are still using their powers to warn, deflect, protect.

 

 _“Baekhyun!”_ Kai barks at him, giving him a look so direct that his brother can’t deny the order.

 

He hesitates only briefly, but then Baekhyun lifts his hand out, palm up, the color of his eyes whiting out. The archer drops to one knee slowly, strangely tolerant of the excruciating pain Kai knows he’s experiencing, before he’s dropping his weapons and planting his fists at his temples, screaming a ghastly roar as his eyes light up like lamps.

 

Minho, spooked, immediately moves to cut down the cause, and Suho steps up to protect Baekhyun, his outstretched hand closing into a fist before him. Minho freezes where he stands, sucking in a hoarse breath. He, too, drops his weapons and grasps at his chest, falling to his knees, and Kai realises Suho is _drowning him_ with his own bodily fluids.

 

Luhan and D.O. appear together, leaping over the doorway flames, and Chanyeol pulls the fire back until it’s gone altogether.

 

The archer is on the floor now, knees curled up in pain, screaming like his head is seconds away from exploding. Minho collapses down beside him, and Kai watches uneasily as he stretches a hand out across the floor for his comrade.

 

When their hands meet and Minho holds tight, comforting his teammate in what he believes are his final moments, the war of Kai’s conscience rages strong. These people are their enemies, have attempted to take the people he loves away from him with no signs of remorse. He _wants_ them to stop. He _wants_ them disposed of. But as he watches Minho looking to his teammate, veins protruding on his forehead, eyes bloodshot and wet as he lays there suffocating to death, Kai sees something in the enemy he never expected to see. _Humanity_.

 

That is until the archer, in all of his screaming and rolling around, pulls his gun from his hip, scrambles to reload and starts shooting blind. Kai clammers over his brothers to get them low, but one of the bullets ricochets from D.O.’s metal leg and slams Xiumin through the shoulder, dropping him to the ground faster than his instincts can get him.

 

 _“No!”_ Luhan crawls over to him and places a hand over his bleeding wound.

 

Suho and Baekhyun lose their concentration in the fray, and with the pressure of their powers lifted, the archer seems to find just enough stability in his madness to make his shots count. Kai tackles Luhan low, a bullet grazing the back of his coat. Chanyeol scrambles half on top of the shooter, wrestling his gun down, his grip heating the metal through until the enemy screams at his burning palms. He rips his hands away with a sickening sizzle and catches Chanyeol in the jaw with a foot as he scrambles back.

 

It’s then that Taemin finally catches up to them, his leader at his side looking like he could go another round despite being worse for wear. Taemin and Kai lock eyes, and Taemin wastes no more time in throwing his Sai blades, one to the left, one to the right. Kai and his brothers group closer together to escape them - which is exactly where Taemin wants them, and he unsheathes his Katana and moves to cut a deadly path through Kai’s people, blade aimed true at Kai’s throat.

 

_“Everybody stop!”_

 

Taemin halts in his tracks, panting, poised to continue his destruction at the sound of his teammate’s voice. As he turns around to look, Kai sees past Taemin’s shoulder.

 

Sehun stands in the doorway, angry and terrified. When he moves slowly, _carefully_ into the room, Kai sees why.

 

Lay follows slower, rigid in posture. The glint of a knife is at his throat.

 

Taemin’s platinum-haired comrade appears from behind Lay’s shoulder, teeth bared, “Nobody move.”

  
  
  


 

Taemin watches Jonghyun parade the Artifact in his grip like a lamb up for slaughter, stuck furiously between the adrenaline and the annoyance of cheap victory. Every fibre in his being feels stretched toward Kai, ready to tear him to pieces, but the moment sits in the palm of Jonghyun’s hand like a fragile thing. One wrong move and everything could go bad.

 

“Your healer is coming with us. So hand him over and you might walk out of here with your lives intact.”

 

Taemin hears the low growl Onew directs at him, _“Jonghyun, what the hell are you doing?”_

 

“My job,” Jonghyun sneers, and that sneer morphs into a dangerous grin, full of dirty justice when he catches Taemin’s eye, “You’re not the _only_ one with special orders, Ace.”

 

Taemin feels it in his chest; the sick swoop of hopeless unease he had at following the High Elders orders against protocol. Observing the Artifacts in order to learn how to take them down, despite his discomfort at being singled out to do it, was a logic-based, tactical decision. As far as their historical records showed, taking an Artifact hostage had never been done before. He could see the logic in doing so – perhaps to better study them in order to improve their operations, to control the situation as it was currently, but all Taemin can see is the growing list of things he has no answers for and he’s _pissed_.

 

He’d suspected the presence of a healer among the Artifacts when Kai had reappeared before him like he _hadn’t_ been run through with a sword, but Taemin had underestimated any chance of Jonghyun looking beyond his own self-importance long enough to make the connection himself. He remembers seeing Jonghyun in the tree shade not an hour ago and puts the clues together - he _had_ been using a cellphone, communicating to base with his own observations, receiving orders in return. It seemed all the training they’d endured over the years, the drilling of brotherhood, synchronicity and transparency meant nothing when the High Elder had her own designs. The nauseous, gnawing guilt of previously crossing that line himself swells beneath his anger.

 

He looks to Kai at the side of his blade, neck pressed against the metal hard enough that blood has trickled into the collar of his shirt. Taemin sees how panicked he is, angled toward his captured kin with an almost vibrating need, but he holds himself still out of fear he’ll spook Jonghyun into killing him.

 

Kai’s gaze swings to the side, piercing directly through him like he’s half-begging him to take him instead. Taemin hates the look of defeat in his eyes. It feels nasty and bitter, earned through dirty tricks, and he finds no satisfaction as he tightens his grip around his katana’s handle, his every muscle trained to receive him. Unexpectedly, he finds he’s torn between goading Kai to try something and willing him not to.

 

“Stop this, Taemin,” Kai’s hoarse whisper slugs him in the gut, sharp, quick, an unpleasant surprise. It shivers right down the back of his neck in frightening waves, hearing his own name on the enemy’s tongue, “If you do this, it’s war.”

 

Taemin grits his teeth against the rush of his own pulse, “You and your people, dead. There’s no other way this ends.”

 

Kai’s lips turn up in a pained grimace, and he ever so slightly shakes his head. The emotion he presses behind his next word feels visceral, weighed heavy with desperation. There is no plan behind his eyes, only a deep need to keep his people alive, _“Please.”_

 

Taemin answers by locking his arm above the elbow, which nudges his sword harder against Kai’s neck and forces him to take a stuttered step back. Jonghyun’s secret orders from on high have made the situation dire, rendering his current priorities about killing Kai irrelevant. Now, his job is to ensure he and his faction get out of this confrontation alive and unharmed.

  
  
  


 

“We’re almost certain you have one, the way you all keep coming back like cockroaches,” Lay’s captor, Jonghyun says loud enough for everyone to hear. He turns in towards Lay’s cheek curiously, eyes tracing his profile. Kai can see his brother visibly fighting down his panic, “Did I get lucky? Is it _you?_ ”

 

Lay’s lips part but the only thing that comes out is a shaking breath. The tension in the room surges, claustrophobic in its might. Kai starts calculating how fast their enemy is – whether he can reach Lay and get him out of here before the blades of their enemies relieve them of their heads. Whether or not his brothers can survive long enough for him to come back for them one by one.

 

Taemin is already ahead of him, growling a low threat, “You so much as move a muscle and I will cut you down.”

 

Kai sees the helplessness in Lay’s eyes and softens his stance, ready to comply for the safety of his kin. But shock bolts his spine ramrod straight once again when Luhan moves in his periphery, suddenly stepping forward.

 

“ _I’m_ the healer,” Luhan boldly announces.

 

Xiumin breathes a clipped _don’t_ , a bloodied hand leaving his gunshot wound to hang frozen mid-reach toward him, like Luhan and his stubborn ways have suddenly slipped through his fingers without warning.

 

Luhan half glares, half begs Xiumin to stand down with a desperate look before he returns his attention to the enemy, “I’m the one you want.”

 

Lay’s expression falls, and Kai chokes back a yell. He sees Luhan’s head shift minutely, silently ordering Lay to remain quiet.

 

“And how do I know you’re not lying?” Jonghyun cocks an eyebrow and presses his dagger over the carotid artery in Lay’s neck.

 

“Because you’re holding our Telekinetic,” Luhan reveals, clearly eyeballing the blade on Lay’s skin, and Kai doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing but the panic at his words renders him lightheaded, “Let him prove it.”

 

Jonghyun looks to Lay again, tightens his fingers on his jaw, “Go on then. Show me what you can do. And don’t try anything _stupid_. You don’t want their blood on your hands now, do you?”

 

Kai glances quickly over Taemin’s group, waiting for someone to come forward and destroy Luhan’s falsehood and sentence them all to death, but no one does. Back on Exo Planet, Luhan had exhausted every energy to keep the skill and extent of his power from the World King’s knowledge, fearing he’d be used for ill intent. At the time Kai had thought it irrational, an act of illogical protest that collectively weakened them but had later proven true. Kai realises now that Luhan has hid his power in its entirety, using it ambiguously among the chaos of their confrontations out of what is now proving to be a calculated decision to withhold vital information from their enemies.

 

Lay doesn’t move – Kai’s unsure he’s even breathing – as he and Luhan seem to communicate silently for several moments. Luhan must win favour, because Lay eventually raises a trembling hand before him. The empty wooden crate against the wall behind Luhan lifts into the air and drops with a loud bang. It’s a testament to Luhan’s true power – he doesn’t blink, doesn’t flinch, doesn’t look at anything but Lay’s frantic eyes. Kai observes Taemin and his people; nothing seems out of order to them. He realises with a muted sense of relief that they’ve bought into the show.

 

“Lying would put me at a disadvantage,” Luhan continues, using his words to press his own importance. It’s an effective ploy in persuasion, “You have my brothers’ lives in your hands. I’m willing to go with you to ensure their safety.”

 

Kai can feel his heart bob up into his throat when Luhan turns to him then, and his gaze is nothing but love and pride and certainty, and the way it breaks Kai’s heart is absolute. His next words, frighteningly, sound like a goodbye, “I am _willing_.”

 

 _Luhan, no,_ Kai thinks helplessly at him, as if he the bond they shared earlier can help him get the message through. _Please don’t._

 

Even Taemin and his people watch their teammate weigh the scenario in his head for a long, tense pause, before he decides whatever he needs to decide and nods Luhan forward.

 

“Hands behind your head then, slow steps. You try _anything_ and I’ll make sure he’s dead before he hits the ground.”

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Luhan complies darkly, and everybody watches with baited breath as he makes his way forward.

 

Jonghyun releases Lay’s chin and reaches slowly for Luhan, and the grab and switch is quick like the plummet of Kai’s hope through his stomach.

 

Once he’s in Jonghyun’s hold, he’s butted hard against the side of the head with the pommel of his dagger, hard enough to drop him unconscious. Kai lurches forward, as does Xiumin and D.O. but with Minho and the archer back on their feet and furiously brandishing weapons, they don’t get far.

 

“Fucking _try it!_ ” The archer growls, sweating and red-faced.

 

Jonghyun hefts Luhan’s body over his shoulder, throwing Kai a smirk that makes his blood boil, and the archer yanks a short sword from his belt and secures it to Luhan’s dangling neck for leverage. Kai deflates, all quick mastered plans of saving his brother last minute finally lost.

 

“Your friend and I are going to walk out of here, and you’re going to let it happen,” Jonghyun speaks clearly enough for everyone to understand, sweeping his gaze around the room until it rests on Kai one last time, “Wanna test who the quicker draw is?”

 

His grin is slow and sly, gleefully daring him to make a move and knowing with every fibre in his body that he’s the most powerful man in the room. Kai feels locked to the ground like he’s embedded knee deep in the cold cement floor.

 

“Smart choice, roach,” He sneers, delighted, and they begin to retreat out of the building in careful, measured steps. Taemin’s leader swings his broadsword in warning when Xiumin’s knee jerks weakly beneath him, and the two take stock of each other warily like old foes, both clutching their individual wounds. Despite his pain, Xiumin’s anger is powerful enough to have everyone treading lightly.

 

Taemin lifts his Katana from Kai’s neck, waits to be tested, then sheaths it through the holster against his back with a confident flick of his wrist. D.O. barrels in front of Kai and throws his metal guard up, and Taemin steps back quick and tense, hands near his thigh, ready to grab his dagger at a moment’s notice. When D.O. doesn’t make another move, he presses a look at Kai.

 

“It’s smart to be wary of me,” he says, nodding in Jonghyun’s direction as he and Luhan disappear through the door. He starts backing out behind them, “But it’s smarter to be afraid of him.”

 

Kai watches them leave, his people gathering close to him. Taemin sees a decision being made behind the agony in his calculated fury and feels a thrill at the new challenge there.

 

“ _You’re dead_ ,” Kai promises, his voice light and airy like it’s been ripped from him, and it lifts the fine hairs on Taemin’s bare arms. Taemin feels the threat and finds it heavy, cold with certainty, “You are dead. And I guarantee you, you won’t see me coming.”

  
  
  


 

Taemin’s shoulder bumps the door frame on his way and he follows his faction out of the building, his slow, sure steps belying the nervous tingle in his stomach at the sniper-lazer sensation of eyes burning the back of his head. He glances through his peripheral briefly, swallowing hard when he sees Kai trailing silently behind him.

 

He almost takes a sick pleasure in it, Kai and his guarantee of violence. It feels comforting, familiar, and he finds himself looking forward to it. The thought of a real fight, of a formidable opponent, of being the last man standing spikes his blood with the adrenaline of promised battle. He wonders, vaguely, if he’ll feel empty when it’s all over.

 

Onew stumbles ahead of him, his gut wound finally wearing him down, and Key moves quick to catch him. Taemin unsheathes the dagger from his thigh and prods it at the nape of their captive’s neck. He’s prepared to bear down until it pierces through his brain stem if he has to, and he looks over his shoulder at Kai like a dare.

 

When they reach the SUV, Taemin and his blade slide into the back seat next to the Artifact’s unconscious body until everyone gets situated. He can hear Key fretting now over Onew’s injuries, huffing and puffing in frustration when Onew pushes him off and gets into the driver’s seat. Kai’s watchful presence means they have to pile in uncomfortably without unloading their weapons, and when Minho squeezes in behind Jonghyun and shuts the door, a collective tense silence hangs in the air as they put as much distance between them and their enemy as fast as the SUV allows.

 

Jonghyun makes sure Kai sees the weapons trained at his brother, even as they drive away.

 

“That---” Minho breathes heavily, twists to look back through the rear window, “ _Holy shit_.”

 

“What the _fuck_ were you thinking?!” Key explodes at Jonghyun, even as he yanks the glove compartment open and extracts a large cotton pad from the first aid kit.

 

“Untwist your damn panties, Kibum,” he says as he scoots across Minho’s lap to use the window as a mirror. He combs the hair out of his face with the tip of his dagger, “Take your problems up with the High Elder.”

 

“You could have gotten us all killed,” Minho tries to shove Jonghyun off, but he plants his feet and stubbornly stays where he is. Taemin ignores the bickering and checks the rear window again. Kai is gone.

 

Jonghyun grins at him, “The only thing that would have killed you is your own incompetence.”

 

“ _Mind control!_ ” Minho exclaims, wide eyed, “They have _mind control!_ ”

 

“And thanks to me using my _fucking brain_ , you’ll live to tell the tale.”

 

“ _Will you two shut up!_ ” Onew yells from the front. Key rips the plastic off the pad and holds it hard against Onew’s side, glaring up at him like if his wound won’t kill him, he will.

 

“Just concentrate on not driving us into a ditch,” Key says lowly, smacking his hand away when Onew reaches out to palm his makeshift bandage. The two seem to be silently beefing it out over who gets to stem the bleeding. Key clearly wins, and though he’s angry, Taemin can see the worry all over him like a stain, “I’ve _got_ you. But the second you feel like passing out, you better tell me or so help me---”

 

“ _Okay_. Fucks sake,” Onew mutters.

 

“Stop being an asshole and lean on me,” Key growls through his teeth, “It’s not gonna be the end of the world if you let me help you.”

 

The SUV suddenly rocks like it’s been hit by a bomb, and then the glass of the back seat windows explodes as the roof above them bows inward with a loud bang. Taemin throws his arms up to protect himself from the impact, ears ringing and heart pounding.

 

“Fuck!” Minho shrieks.

 

 _Kai_ , Taemin thinks, moving to hoist himself out onto the roof, “Jonghyun, _the Artifact_.”

 

Jonghyun actually obeys him, fixing his dagger to their captive’s neck once again. Key switches the hand on Onew’s side and tugs his gun from between his hip and the seat. Angling his aim, he shoots five bullets through the roof plate without blinking.

 

Taemin grips the door frame and pushes a breath through his lips, preparing mentally. Then he lifts his head clear, ready to drop himself back down if needed. Kai is gone, but there’s a crater-sized dent in the metal of the roof. His black hair lashes violently across his face as he looks quickly in every direction. He spots Kai’s silhouette on the road behind them - a black smudge wavering on the horizon, a storm of wind surrounding him.

 

Kai hasn’t given up, he’s simply waiting for an opportunity. He’s tagged them like cattle for slaughter.

 

Taemin drops back through the window, “He’s marked the car. We need to ditch it as soon as possible.”

 

Key looks to Onew, “We need an extraction. And we need to get you patched up.”

 

Onew checks the GPS, “We’re five hours away from base---”

 

“You are _not going to make it five hours_ , Jinki---”

 

“Hey _fuckwit_ ,” Onew stares through the rear view mirror at Jonghyun, gritting his teeth when Key presses against his wound a little harder, “Make yourself useful and call the High Elder.”

 

Taemin can already see the smartass comment well on it’s way and hangs his hand over the front seat expectantly, “I’ll do it. In the meantime, find some traffic. We need to get lost and _soon_.”

 

After a tense pause, Onew reluctantly nods his permission and Key undocks the cellphone from the middle seat compartment. Once it’s in his hands, Taemin quickly realises it needs a 4 digit code to unlock it.

 

“Kibum’s birthday,” Onew answers his unspoken question, diligently fastening his gaze on the road and away from the sudden surprise on Key’s face.

 

Minho chokes at the admission and rubs his hand over his face, embarrassed on behalf of everyone in the car, “Oh _hell_.”

 

Taemin thumbs in the numbers 0923 and the screen unlocks as promised.

 

“Speed dial 1,” Onew tells him, and he does as instructed, holding the phone to his ear and dutifully ignoring the tension in the front seat.

 

They find the nearest city and begin making their way through it in circles. Taemin doesn’t see Kai again but it doesn’t mean he isn’t tailing them, so they take every precaution before finding the underground parking lot designated on their GPS.

 

“There,” Key points, spotting an imposing black utility van in the east corner. Three Sicarii are stationed outside in black gear, armed with guns.

 

Having ditched the SUV, Onew is helped into the van by two accompanying Elders and given immediate medical attention - Taemin clocks them both with a glance, looking for a familiar face, but neither of them are Siwon. The armed Sicarii watch warily as Jonghyun and Taemin heft the Artifact’s unconscious form into the back, where a black lump already sits squashed up in the left corner, zipped in what looks like body bag. Taemin doesn’t have time to ask what it is before Jonghyun smashes a fist across the Artifacts face - he says, to ensure he doesn’t wake in transit - then locks him in the empty weapons locker. Taemin lowers himself into a seat with care, both out of the pain that is quickly catching up with him and at the sight of Himchan and Youngguk - both lower level initiates - in the driver’s cage.

 

Himchan sees the question in his eyes and fills him in, “We got promoted.”

 

Their suspicious promotion doesn’t help the uncertainty of the day’s events settle any better, and being afforded a moment to catch his breath doesn’t offer him any comfort. Taemin looks to the medical stretcher at the van’s side to check on Onew, who is now a concerning shade of grey. Key sits in the nearest seat watching the Elders work on him, worrying his thumbnail between his teeth, uncaring of Onew’s blood on his hands. Minho has his eyes closed, head rested on the top of his seat, and Jonghyun stares back at Taemin - turning the tip of his dagger on the pad of his finger like a screwdriver. The look in his eyes is unnerving.

 

“What a day, huh?” Jonghyun comments, his tone eerily flat.

 

Taemin shifts to face the front as the van starts moving, releasing an unsteady sigh.

 

 _Yeah_ , he thinks heavily. _What a day._

  
  
  


When Kai returns to his brothers two hours later, his grief knocks his knees out from beneath him. He sinks to the ground with a crash, exhaustion and the comedown of adrenaline finally crippling him.

 

“ _Where is he_ ,” Xiumin asks lowly.

 

Kai shakes his head, small and weak. His voice is barely above a whisper when he forces the words out, “I lost them in the city.”

 

“Well then you go back,” Xiumin demands, his voice catching, “You go _back_.”

 

“Hyung,” Kai looks up at him, tears in his eyes, “I’m _sorry---_ ”

 

Xiumin cuts him off with a growl, then fixes his attention on Lay - who catches the look in his eyes and lifts his hands to placate him, “Hyung---”

 

“ _How did they get past you?_ ” Xiumin launches at him, grabbing Lay by the collar of his shirt and shoving him hard against the wall, “How did they _possibly get past you?!_ ”

 

“I’m _sorry_ ,” Lay whispers, his gaze now bright with tears, “I wasn’t concentrating.”

 

_“You said you’d be able to sense them!”_

 

Kai drags himself off the ground and stumbles forward, placing a gentle hand to Xiumin’s shoulder as everyone else looks on helplessly, “Hyung, _please_...”

 

Lay breaks Xiumin’s grip on him and lurches back, “ _You don’t understand how it feels_. The pain I have to invite in---”

 

“ _No_ , you were too busy sucking face with Sehun when you _should have been ready!_ ”

 

“I was _scared!_ ” Lay cries.

 

Kai shoves a hand at Sehun’s chest when he barges forward - a moth to the flame of Lay’s suffering, as always.

 

“I didn’t _mean_ to block it out,” Lay says, inhaling a trembling breath, “It just _happened_. I didn’t realise I’d even done it until they found us.”

 

Kai remembers all too vividly the anguish, the excruciating physical and emotional agony Lay felt as a result of absorbing into himself whatever darkness Taemin’s aura was poisoned with. He understands never wanting to feel that way again, and it wasn’t too long ago that Lay was a hopeless hostage to the entire emotional spectrum of Exo Planet as it fell to pieces. He immediately forgives Lay for subconsciously wanting to protect himself from it, even as the grief of Luhan’s absence burns in his chest.

 

“What are we supposed to do?” Xiumin whispers, his throat sounding tight. It wobbles on his next words, “What am _I_ supposed to do?”

 

“I don’t know,” Lay hiccups, his tears spilling over his cheeks, and Kai knows he’s feeling everyone’s fear, “ _I don’t know_.”

 

“Kai,” Suho speaks up carefully, lightly, “Tao’s still---”

 

“ _Oh fuck_ ,” Kai blurts, stumbling back as his own sob finally punches through him. He teleports to the paper chemical plant without another word, feeling absolutely beside himself, back to where he’d left Tao all alone and in the dark, to keep him safe. His hope that his brother is still unconscious and unaware is left completely shattered when he’s nowhere to be found.

 

“Tao!” he starts shouting, hoping he’s simply stumbled into another room. He pauses in the silence between, trying to hear anything - breathing, crying, a call back - but there’s nothing. He goes through every room three times and checks the perimeter of the building twice, trying and failing to ignore his growing panic.

 

He slips on the rocky ground during his fourth perimeter check and sees a large inky black stain under his foot. His heart beats wildly beneath his ribs, so wildly it churns his stomach as he reaches down and touches a finger to it; and when he holds it up to the moonlight, it’s everything he feared it would be.

 

Cold, congealed blood.

 

“No... _Tao!_ ” he calls out into the night air, and he collapses where he stands, dirty hand covering his mouth as he cries at the sight of the blood on the gravel. It’s too much - _far_ too much for a simple injury. And there’s no trail, “God, please no. _Tao!_ ”

 

 _What am I supposed to do_ , he thinks, weeping openly into the night. He thinks of his two missing brothers and whatever terrible fate has befallen them, then of the others waiting for him to return. Waiting for him to guide them through this impossible mess.

 

_What the hell am I supposed to do._

  
  


 

 

By the time they return to base, it’s almost midnight.

 

Himchan punches the dash monitor and announces their arrival over the intercom as the van hits the dirt flats leading to the vehicle hanger. He also warns them, “Weapons ready. We have an Artifact in custody. Also requiring a cold slab.”

 

Key glances over at Taemin from his place beside Onew, who is now resting, “Take point.”

 

Once the doors are cleared, the van accelerates up into the hanger and parks, the screech of tyres echoing off the metal walls. Jonghyun shifts to move up front and Key  promptly shoves him back in his seat with a glare.

 

“You stay put.”

 

Jonghyun scoffs and rises again, “It’s my capture. I’ll hand it over to the High Elder myself.”

 

Key growls through his teeth, “Sit your ass down or I’ll _make_ you. As second-in-command, that’s an order.”

 

Jonghyun hangs there another moment longer, shooting daggers at Taemin up front before he obeys and takes his seat beside the Elders again. Taemin climbs out as instructed, unsheathing his Katana on his way to the back of the vehicle. A unit of Sicarii is armed and standing by, waiting for something to go wrong, and it’s clear that none of them expected to see an Artifact up close, let alone inside the base. There’s an intense mix of fear, curiosity and excitement hanging in the air and everyone is hanging on Taemin’s next move.  


He yanks the rear door open and holds his katana ready with one hand as he unlocks the locker with the other. The Artifact is awake, dried blood lining the side of his face, and now that he can see, he glimpses the body bag he’s nudged up against and tries to press himself away. He pauses when Taemin rests the blade of his weapon on his collarbone, “Up. Nice and slow.”

 

The Artifact instead climbs out and steps right into Taemin’s face. There’s a rush of sudden noise in the hanger, the unlocking of weapons on edge, the sharp sound of metal blades slicing through air. Taemin moves fast enough to have his katana between them, pressing against the man’s throat, “Cooperate, or die.”

 

The Artifact looks him in the eyes, fierce and uncaring, “I’m dead anyway.”

 

Taemin doesn’t have time to think on his next words before a crew of Elders flow forward in their robes, ready to take custody of him.

 

He tells them, “I’ll escort him myself.”

 

“You’ll release him to us and report to the ops center for debrief,” the nearest of them orders.

 

As much as he wants to lock the Artifact up himself and interrogate him, Taemin can’t help but feel like he’s on thin ice. The Artifact must see something in his eyes, because he suddenly looks like he’s about to put up a fight - he’s quickly injected in the neck with a sedative that drops him like a bag of rocks, and his body is half carried, half dragged away by a swarm of Elders’ robes.

 

Taemin steps aside as a metal slab is wheeled forward, and Youngguk gives him a narrow look as he and Himchan lift and drop the body bag onto it with a grunt and a bang, “I believe you’ve got somewhere to be, Sunbae.”

 

He glances at the body bag once more before reluctantly trailing behind the group carrying Onew’s stretcher, an unpleasant weight in his gut.

 

It’s two hours later that their debrief comes in the form of an Elder advising them to wash up and join everyone in the banquet hall. It seems celebration for their success is in order, regardless of the fact that it's the early hours, though Taemin is too wound up by the High Elder’s lack of communication to be happy about it.

 

He’s uncomfortable throughout the procession. There’s too many people in the same room at once, like buzzing bees in a narrow hive, crawling over each other. It’s too loud, the result of rice wine and a successful mission on the excited Sicarii initiates. Everybody sports a loose tongue and open ears, either gossiping or mouthing off or seeking secondhand adventure as they try to live vicariously through his teammates, though Onew and Key are notably absent, holed up in the infirmary. It’s bad enough that everything is a little too much to handle right now; it’s made ever more intolerable by the fact that every corner of the room fails to show him who he’s looking for. Siwon is dreadfully absent from the celebrations, nowhere to be seen.

 

Taemin thinks about the mission, the travel, ticks the hours off in his head. Almost thirty one hours since he last saw him. Thirty one hours isn’t sufficient reason to start panicking, but the worm burrowing a hole in the bottom of his stomach hasn’t stopped. And with all of Siwon’s nagging about following his instincts, it feels like it means something.

 

“Taemin-Sunbaenim.”

 

He looks over when a warm, light voice from behind his shoulder shakes him from his thoughts. His name combined with honorifics is a first, but with the way others have been lavishing the other members of his faction with various terms of respect and hero worship since they returned, he figures capturing an Artifact makes him some kind of deal with the rest of his people.

 

Jimin, an initiate two years below him, stands a few steps away with a genuine smile. He drops his eyes and gives a quick bow from the waist, and the level of respect shown makes Taemin straighten up on the bench seat.

 

Jimin pats a hand to his heart, “I’m Jimin. I don’t know if you know me---”

 

“I do,” He answers. Jimin’s surprise is joyous.

 

Taemin has always pulled apart smiles like a kid with an apple and a pocketknife, trying to see what lies beneath their surface. Jimin shows no sign of an ulterior motive, so he gestures at the bench beside him. Taemin shifts over a little to make more distance between them when he’s settled, bumping up against Minho briefly. He dutifully ignores the way his Minho reaches for him like it’s second nature, quickly sliding him a glance to check he’s okay, a simple hand steady on his back as if to give Taemin’s personal space a new marker to build from. Then it’s gone, his attention returned to whatever Jonghyun is saying and Taemin relaxes again; as much as he can while slowly suffocating under the forced social weight of his peers.

 

He feels Jimin’s eyes on the side of his face and his smile is sympathetic when Taemin turns back to him, “You look bored.”

 

“I’m not,” Taemin dryly denies, picking up his untouched bowl of rice wine and looking at his reflection in the cloudy liquid, “This is my party face.”

 

“Right,” Jimin laughs, his eyes crinkling up, “I just figured this is what it looks like. Y’know, crashing back down post-mission. Your faction members are still clearly running on the high.”

 

“I wouldn’t call it that,” Taemin replies, though Jimin is a little too close to the mark for his liking. He scans over Jonghyun and Minho as they both, rather raucously, try to beef up their mission story for their captive audience, “ _Ego_ would be more fitting.”

 

Jimin laughs again, charmed, and Taemin tries to pick to shreds the unknown variables in his presence.

 

“What are you after, Jimin?”

 

“What am I after?” Jimin repeats, smile ever-present even as he shakes his head, “Do I have to be after anything?”

 

Taemin pins him with his gaze, “Everyone is after something.”

 

Jimin’s smile finally falls and he leans back immediately, realising he’s unwelcome.

 

“I’m sorry, Sunbaenim. I didn’t mean to burden you. I’ve been meaning to approach you for a long time. I just...saw you looking like you could use the company and thought I would take my chance to say hello. I’ll uh---”

 

“ _No_ ,” Taemin shuts his eyes, uncomfortable with the pressure he feels at the sight of Jimin’s crestfallen face. Then he rolls his tense shoulders back, “It’s a been a long day, is all. I’m not much for celebrating.”

 

Jimin watches him nervously for some time, but while Taemin has never been one to coddle, he’s even less inclined to do it now, exhausted as he is. Taemin pushes himself up from his seat and Jonghyun mumbles a _‘you want this?’_ as he confiscates his untouched bowl of rice wine for himself like he hasn’t had his eye on it for the last fifteen minutes.

 

“Leaving already?” Minho asks.

 

Taemin nods, bowing his head to his senior before turning back to Jimin, “Later.”

 

“Sunbaenim---” Jimin starts, “I run the mountain track in the mornings. You’re welcome to join me tomorrow if you want some fresh air.”

 

Taemin hears the comfort Jimin is offering - open space to breathe, peace and quiet - the way Onew does, by skirting around any words that would make him lash out, and he wonders how transparent he must be. A morning run in the fresh mountain air is everything his muddled brain and stuffy chest needs, and he’d go and do it right now if he weren’t feeling so dead on his feet. He still can’t find a motive in Jimin’s eyes, just unabashed respect and hope directed at him in a way he doesn’t understand. But he needs that morning run like he needs to be alone in his room right now, so he agrees.

 

“Sure. What time.”

 

Jimin blinks and uses what looks like a substantial amount of self-control to stop himself from leaping out of his seat, “Seven. I’ll wait at the training pads.”

 

Taemin nods again, “Make it six,” and then he leaves the banquet hall in the direction of his dorm.

 

He pauses when he reaches the juncture of dorm corridors. His room, his peace and quiet is down the hall in front of him, but one glance down the deserted west wing adds a detour to his way home. He’s careful to keep a lookout for anyone roaming the halls, a natural reflex despite his rank clearance allowing him into the trainer dorms, and he knocks lightly with a knuckle on the door of Siwon’s room when he finds it.

 

He raps a few times, adding pressure in case Siwon is using the bathroom or asleep, but no luck. He glances down the hallway to ensure no one is around, then turns the knob and steps over the threshold, swiftly and softly shutting the door when he’s inside. He does a quick check of the room and ensuite and comes up empty, then takes a closer look around. The sink and shower stall are bone dry, indicating no recent use, and Siwon’s bed is made, sheets strapped down tight. Nothing looks out of order, and yet the worm in his stomach is on the fritz, telling him everything he’s seeing is a warning.

 

He’s _paranoid_ , he realises. He takes a breath and sits on the edge of Siwon’s bed, going over what he knows his mentor would tell him to do. _Breathe. Find your center. Check your trigger word_. He does the first two, locking down what panic he feels, then plucks his trigger word from his head for the second time today. Proving to himself that everything is in it’s place doesn’t give him nearly enough peace of mind. Logically, he knows Siwon’s rank means he could be anywhere at this time of night; a debrief, a meeting, running programs in the ops center. But the damn worm in his gut won’t stop.

 

The heel of his boot sinks into the floor when he gets up to leave, and a quick check shows part of the cement floor beneath the bed has been resealed. The telltale swipes of a spackle job are clear as day now that the seal is broken around the edges, and he brushes over the new cracks with a hand, finds it no bigger than a large book. Taemin knows his mentor has his secrets, perhaps more secrets than he’s ever seen someone keep, but with weekly mandatory dorm checks, even attempting to hide something in the floor is unheard of. Especially for a man as strict about the rules as Siwon, if that is indeed what he has done.

 

Taemin checks the door and swivels on his knee to keep it in his peripheral while he digs his fingertips around the cracks, heart pounding. His blunt nails are worse for wear by the time he manages to lift the rectangle of cement out of the ground, and he finds what appears to be a bedsheet and rocks stuffed inside to pack the empty hole. He doesn’t have time to ponder, and he doesn’t know what kind of punishment he’d endure if he was found snooping; or worse, what punishment would befall Siwon if a secret hiding space was found in his floor. Finding nothing else, he fits the cement lid back on top, stomps on it gently a few times to ensure it’s back in place, and leaves for his own room with his pulse pounding away in his temples.

  
  


He takes another shower, spending twenty minutes under the hot spray to calm himself back down as he tries to make sense of Siwon’s absence and what he’s seen. Then he spends another ten minutes scrubbing his body clean compulsively, as if the noise of the banquet has clogged his pores.

 

It’s as he’s towelling his hair dry, ready to fall into bed, that someone knocks on his door. His heartbeat picks up again even as he reminds himself that Siwon always knocks on the frame instead, and he’s about to ask who it is when Onew calls through the door quietly.

 

“Just me. You still up?”

 

Taemin briefly considers pretending he’s asleep but he’s too angry at the idea that Onew is attempting a late night visit in his state. He lets him in after a pause, then returns his towel to his hair.

 

Onew sees the way he’s almost trying to rub his thoughts out of his head and closes the door behind him, reaching out to still his hands, “You okay?”

 

Taemin swallows hard. He wants to unload everything on his mind but recent events keep his mouth pinned shut. Taemin strongly doubts the High Elder chose Jonghyun as her new soldier purely to fulfil his wish to remain impartial, which can only mean one thing: Taemin’s loyalty is being questioned. Jonghyun is one of the least subtle people around, so his observance of him is blatantly obvious and unapologetic, but Taemin can’t be sure the High Elder hasn’t tapped his other faction members to do the same. Unloading his worries poses a big risk.

 

He looks to his leader now, who appears as tired and wrecked as he feels. The two pints of blood he lost earlier shows in his dry, ashen lips, and the morphine he’s been on since their return has made his eyes glassy.

 

“You should be resting.”

 

Onew’s exhausted shrug looks painful, “I’m fine. I’m asking if you’re okay.”

 

“Don’t worry about me. I’m just tired,” he says, kneading his clenched fist into his abdominal muscle as if to forcibly remove the unease resting there.

 

Onew sees what he’s doing, “Are you hurt?”

 

“No. Just...feeling weird.”

 

“Weird?” Onew asks. He throws Taemin’s bed sheets back and directs him to sit, “Weird _sick?_ ”

 

Taemin sees the same openness of Onew’s expression as he did the day they met all those years ago in the library stacks, and so badly wants to share his thoughts. He glances around his room at the floor, at the walls, at the sink in the ensuite, remembers how Siwon sends him notes and how adamant he is about burning the evidence of them away. The more he thinks, the worse it gets. Everything feels related. Nothing makes sense.

 

“Taeminah,” Onew moves to crouch down but Taemin stops him before he bends, unwilling to see him jar his injuries, “If something is bothering you, you can say so. I’d rather you share than have you bring it to the next mission.”

 

“You shouldn’t even be thinking of the next mission,” Taemin looks pointedly at Onew’s wounded flank, “I’m surprised Key even let you out.”

 

Onew blushes high in his cheeks, “He’s asleep, but no doubt I’ll get an earful later. Gotta think of _something_ to keep me sane, with all of this enforced bedrest I’ll be getting.”

 

Taemin can’t tell him what he’s seen or what’s going on, but he loosens the smallest bit, enough to shake some of the weight on his shoulders free. Onew cares about the mission. Talking about the mission is his safest bet.

 

“Today didn’t feel right,” he says vaguely, _carefully_ , watching his leader for a reaction.

 

Onew takes his words in with a great pause, then sighs, shoulders slumping, “Now you understand how we felt when _you_ went rogue. Better late than never, I suppose.”

 

“So you agree?”

 

“I agree. It didn’t feel right,” Onew sighs again, and Taemin can’t ignore the fleeting relief he feels at the words, to know he’s not alone in his insanity. It’s enough for now, “I don’t know how I’m supposed to lead when my authority keeps being undermined.”

 

Taemin lets Onew do the talking, least he incriminate himself in some way. He doesn’t trust much, but he does trust how seriously his leader takes his responsibilities. Onew forces him into bed and throws his damp towel into the bathroom laundry hamper on his way out, telling him to get some sleep.

 

“We’ll deal with it as it comes,” he says as he leaves, twisting the door knob in his hand, “Goodnight, Taemin.”

 

He falls asleep after an hour of exhaustive tossing and turning, and even then the night doesn’t offer him rest.

  
  
  
  


He wakes just before 6am with a headache and groggily pulls his sweats and sneakers on. He’s a little more with it by the time he reaches the training pads, and appreciates the way Jimin doesn’t smile or greet him when he arrives. He simply leads the way out of the training grounds and takes off up the mountain trail.

 

They run the trail down one side into the valley, and the air smells fresher, sharper with the moisture in the trees. Taemin sucks as much of it into his lungs as he can and feels the tightness in his chest ease the further along they get. His limbs start burning when Jimin leads them back up onto the mountain path, and they spend the next hour running uphill. The physical exertion only energises him, and the way it drains his thoughts out of his brain is welcome.

 

The sun is rising when they reach the flats, and they both stop to watch and catch their breath.

 

“I’ve been watching you for awhile,” Jimin says, panting, shoving his hands on his hips and rolling his eyes at himself, “That’s not supposed to sound nearly as creepy as it came out. I’m sorry.”

 

Taemin looks over, unable to form a sentence in reply. Jimin steps toward the mountain edge to sit down on a rock.

 

“I mean, I’m not the only one. You’re the guy we’re all aspiring to be,” he says.

 

For a guy who lived his youth as the _golden boy runt_ , being told he’s suddenly the ideal throws him for a loop. He’d noticed the change in behaviour towards him over the last few years. Respect from his seniors, jealousy from his peers, wonder from the younger generations; a side effect of proving his staying power against stacked odds. He hadn’t imagined anything more.

 

Jimin sees how little his words are registering and huffs a short laugh, “You must have known. Everyone in my year wanted you as their mentor. I applied at least three times to improve my chances.”

 

Taemin vaguely remembers being asked if he was interested in mentoring, but he and Siwon had both agreed to concentrate on the next steps of his initiate life. Putting his head down and rising through the ranks was his priority, and walking students through their Parem Bellums would hinder that process.

 

Jimin’s Parem Bellum was the very reason Taemin remembered him. His impressive style repertoire was a hybrid mix of Judo, Jujitsu and basic killer instinct, and his lightning fast ability to dismantle an opponent and snap them into pieces with little to no effort had made Taemin’s blood sing for a sparring match.

 

“You did just fine without me,” Taemin answers, stepping over to sit with him, “And your opponent was packing some serious Muay Thai skills.”

 

“Hyuk, yeah. He was a good kid,” Jimin smiles, but in remembering the nature of the fight and how it inevitably always ends, that smile soon fades. Eventually he slaps it back into place, “Sunbaenim, you watched my Parem Bellum?”

 

“It’s one of the few I remember,” Taemin looks out over the lush canyon stretching out before them, “Most Sicarii pick a style because it’s the cool new thing, or take whatever the Elders give them. There aren’t many who try to find one that suits themselves.”

 

“Well that’s what _you_ did,” Jimin grins, “And it never did you wrong. I tried Silat in my---” He chuckles, lightly embarrassed, “---well-meaning intentions to be just like you, but I had a good mentor who told me to follow my strengths.” He shrugs, “My strengths are throws, using momentum, bodyweight. So I found _Sambo_.”

 

“Sambo?” Taemin tries to flick through his mental storage and remembers a book he sped-read once on the Russian military, “Soviet, right?”

 

Jimin grins again, “Yeah. I mean, it’s relatively young, but it combines multiple styles in a way that utilizes my strengths. And no one else here uses it.”

 

Taemin, having listened to every word intently, finally looks over and thinks he understands a little of who he is. Jimin seems like a good kid, a little too smiley like Minho but open like Onew and driven in a way he recognises in himself. He offers a twitch of a smile; he appreciates a person who is able to think for himself, now more than ever.

 

“No one here dares to stray outside the box.”

 

Jimin shakes his head, wryly, “Certainly doesn’t do me any favours.”

 

Taemin smirks. It’s exactly what he’s always thought, “You are preaching to the temple.”

 

Jimin smiles back, holding Taemin’s gaze for as long as he comfortably can before he’s brushing at his shorts and picking himself up, “We should head back.”

 

Taemin doesn’t argue, and together they start the run back to base, this time side by side.

  


Other initiates are starting their morning training and stretching by the time they return. Taemin notices Jimin walks a little taller beside him, but not arrogantly so, and he says good morning to several of their kin on the way past. Taemin keeps his mouth shut, nodding to his seniors as they watch him and his new company with brief interest. It seems being in Jimin’s presence has opened a door of sorts, as several younger initiates find him approachable enough to greet. It takes him four times longer than normal to cross the grounds to the dorm entrance because of it.

 

A small commotion breaks out behind him, and he turns to see the initiates all gathering over by the cliff side, rapt attention on the rock plains opposite them.

 

“I think someone’s jumping,” Jimin grimaces, craning his neck to get a look.

 

“It happens,” Taemin shrugs, glancing over at the observant group.

 

Dead Man’s Rock is the final resting place for many of his people - both initiated and not - who can no longer handle the pressure of Sicarii life. He’s seen several jump to their deaths over the years; young men too scared to face their Parem Bellums, initiates too afraid to fail the ranking system. He even saw a boy once, no older than twelve, throw himself off the cliff after being so severely beaten in a class and wondered briefly if that could have been his own fate.

 

“Hey, _hey_ ,” Jimin’s voice suddenly turns urgent in a way that raises his hackles, and Taemin’s ready to shove him when Jimin starts tugging on his hoodie sleeve, “Isn’t that your mentor?”

 

Something twists deep in his chest, and Taemin doesn’t think twice about making his way over. He pushes aside a handful of initiates without apology until he’s front and center, and his heart lands somewhere between his knees when his own eyes confirm it: he’s barely recognisable, but Siwon, now sporting a shaved scalp and dark, sunken eyes, is standing on Dead Man’s Rock like a man gone out of his mind.

 

His knuckles ache as his hands grip the barricade posts, the sensation of ice splintering painfully in his belly, and he’s immoveable as a deep-rooted tree when Jimin starts pulling him away by force.

 

“Sunbae, _c’mon!_ ” He yells, tugging him from the view and shoving him toward the canyon trail.

 

They start running as fast as they can in Siwon’s direction, and Taemin’s panic is almost paralysing as he realises the full extent of how very wrong everything feels. From what he could tell, Siwon looks wide awake and yet not awake at all, like he hasn’t slept in months. Taemin knows that man better than he knows most, and yet he can’t even begin to fathom the reason for Siwon’s state, let alone a reason that explains why he is up there in the first place.

 

Siwon is not a man who calls it quits. He’d said it that many times over the years that Taemin believed him. Whenever he started testing his mentor’s resilience by pushing against Siwon’s tutelage or elbowing at his authority, Siwon would roll his eyes and tell him to knock it off: _‘I’m not going anywhere. Throw all the tantrums you want, but I’m not leaving you.’_

 

“Oh god---- _No!_ ” Taemin hears Jimin shout ahead of him and his pulse feels like it screeches to a halt.

 

A shadow passes over the glare of sun on his face, and the sharp snap of tree branches, the shuddering of leaves, immediately follow. His sneakers skid on the rockshell pathway, and the way his heart is trying to crawl through his throat is excruciating. But nothing matches the ice-water shock of peering up and seeing Siwon dangling above him, skewered through the chest and thigh like a demented nightmare, as if the tree is growing through him. The blood that suddenly trickles from his unmoving lips lands on the toe of Taemin’s left sneaker.

 

Like this, Taemin doesn’t recognise him at all. That isn’t his mentor hanging in the tree. The mentor _he_ knows wouldn’t be hanging from a tree.

 

“Sunbaenim…” escapes his mouth like a rush of air through twisted pipes, and he collapses to his knees numbly, trying to make sense of it all and failing miserably.

 

Above him, Siwon’s eyes are dark and lifeless, boring an undeniable cold uncertainty deep into his bones.

  
  
  
  
  


 


End file.
